Section 43-44-7. License required; exemptions; posting license

   (a) No person shall practice or hold himself or herself out as being able to practice speech-language pathology or audiology in this state unless that person is licensed in accordance with this chapter. Nothing in this chapter, however, shall be construed so as to prevent a person licensed under any other law of this state from operating within the scope of that person's license.

(b) (1) Licensure is not required of a speech-language pathologist certified by the Department of Education or Professional Standards Commission or successor agency while that person is working as an employee of a public educational institution, serving any grade or grades from pre-kindergarten through grade 12, provided that no fees are charged for the services either directly or through a third party, except for Medicaid.

   (2) Registration as a speech-language pathology aide is not required of a public education communication aide while that person is working as an employee of an educational institution, provided that no fees are charged for the services either directly or through a third party.

(c) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent participation by a student, intern, or fellow in supervised clinical services which are directly related to meeting the qualifications for licensure as stipulated by this chapter.

(d) Licensees shall conspicuously post their speech-language pathology or audiology license at all times in their principal office or place of business.

(e) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to entitle any person licensed under this chapter to engage in the practice of selling and dispensing hearing aids unless such person is licensed as an audiologist under this chapter.

(f) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to limit in any way the rights of hearing aid dealers or dispensers licensed under the laws of this state.

(g) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to restrict hearing testing or any other act by a physician licensed under Chapter 34 of this title operating within the scope of his or her license or the performing of hearing testing by persons acting under the supervision of a licensed physician, provided that the physician shall be on the premises while such acts are being performed.

(h) A person who is not licensed as an audiologist may perform nondiagnostic electro-physiologic screening of the auditory system, using otoacoustic emissions or auditory brainstem response technology, as part of a planned and organized screening effort for the initial identification of communication disorders in infants under the age of three months, provided that:

   (1) The person not licensed as an audiologist has completed a procedure specific training program directed by an audiologist licensed under this chapter;

   (2) The screening equipment and protocol used are fully automated and the protocol is not accessible for alteration or adjustment by the person not licensed as an audiologist;

   (3) The results of the screening are determined automatically by the programmed test equipment, without discretionary judgment by the person not licensed as an audiologist, and are only reported as "pass or fail" or "pass or refer";

   (4) An audiologist licensed under this chapter is responsible for the training of the person not licensed as an audiologist, the selection of the screening program protocol, the determination of administration guidelines, the periodic monitoring of the performance of the person not licensed as an audiologist, and the screening program results; and

   (5) The participation of the person not licensed as an audiologist in such an automated screening program is limited to the recording of patient demographic information; the application of earphones, electrodes, and other necessary devices; the initiation of the test; the recording of the results; and the arrangement of the referral for those who do not pass the screening to an audiologist licensed under this chapter for follow-up evaluation.

(i) (1) Any person in this state or physically located in another state or foreign country who, using telecommunications and information technologies through which speech-language pathology information and auditory-vestibular system information or data is transmitted, performs an act that is part of a patient care service located in this state, including but not limited to any measures of speech-language pathology or auditory-vestibular system function or hearing instrument selection, fitting, or dispensing that would affect the diagnosis or treatment of the patient is engaged in the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology in this state. Any person who performs such acts through such means shall be required to have a license to practice speech-language pathology or audiology in this state and shall be subject to regulation by the board. No such out-of-state or foreign practitioner shall have ultimate authority over the speech-language or auditory-vestibular system health care of a patient who is located in this state. Any such practitioner in this state, another state, or a foreign country shall abide by the rules of the board.

   (2) This subsection shall not apply to:

      (A) The acts of a speech-language pathologist or an audiologist located in another state or foreign country who provides consultation services at the request of a speech-language pathologist or an audiologist licensed in this state;

      (B) The acts of a speech-language pathologist or an audiologist licensed in another state or foreign country who:

         (i) Provides consultation services without compensation, remuneration, or other expectation thereof and without altering, adjusting, or manipulating hearing aid device controls; or

         (ii) Provides consultation services to a graduate school located in this state and approved by the board; or

      (C) The acts of a speech-language pathologist or an audiologist located in another state or foreign country when invited as a guest of any graduate school or institution of higher learning approved by the board, state, or national accrediting body or component thereof, for the sole purpose of engaging in professional education through lectures, clinics, or demonstrations.

   (3) This Code section shall not be construed to alter the scope of practice of any health care provider or authorize the delivery of health care services in a setting or in a manner not otherwise authorized by the laws of this state.

   (4) All persons subject to the provisions of this Code section shall be required to comply with all applicable requirements of the laws of this state relating to the maintenance of patient records and the confidentiality of patient information, regardless of where such speech-language pathologist or audiologist may be located and regardless of where or how the records of any patient located in this state are maintained.

Ga. L. 1974, p. 1009, § 7; Ga. L. 1978, p. 1474, § 3; Ga. L. 1987, p. 1072, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1494, § 3; Ga. L. 1992, p. 3316, § 4; Ga. L. 1993, p. 1510, § 2; Ga. L. 1997, p. 1387, § 4; Ga. L. 1999, p. 266, § 1.2; Ga. L. 1999, p. 387, § 3; Ga. L. 2006, p. 1077, § 1/HB 1112.