§2651. Definitions
As used in this Chapter:
(1)"ABA" means the American Board of Audiology.
(2)"ASHA" means the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
(3)"Audiologist" means any person who represents himself to the public by title or
description of services, methods, or procedures as one who offers to provide or provides
services involving the application of principles, methods, and procedures of the science and
profession of audiology. An audiologist, by definition of scope of practice, may sell and
dispense hearing aids, as defined by the United States Food and Drug Administration, in
accordance with this Chapter.
(4)"Board" means the Louisiana Board of Examiners for Speech-Language
Pathology and Audiology.
(5)"Licensed audiologist" means an individual who meets the qualifica
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§2651. Definitions
As used in this Chapter:
(1) "ABA" means the American Board of Audiology.
(2) "ASHA" means the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
(3) "Audiologist" means any person who represents himself to the public by title or
description of services, methods, or procedures as one who offers to provide or provides
services involving the application of principles, methods, and procedures of the science and
profession of audiology. An audiologist, by definition of scope of practice, may sell and
dispense hearing aids, as defined by the United States Food and Drug Administration, in
accordance with this Chapter.
(4) "Board" means the Louisiana Board of Examiners for Speech-Language
Pathology and Audiology.
(5) "Licensed audiologist" means an individual who meets the qualifications for
licensure as an audiologist in accordance with this Chapter and who holds a current,
unsuspended, and unrevoked license issued by the board.
(6) "Licensed speech-language pathologist" means an individual who meets the
qualifications for licensure as a speech -language pathologist under R.S. 37:2659(A) and who
holds a current, unsuspended, and unrevoked license issued by the board. Unless otherwise
specified, "licensed speech-language pathologist" shall not mean a person who has a
provisional or restricted license issued under this Chapter.
(7) "Licensed speech-language pathology assistant" means an individual who meets
the qualifications for licensure as a speech-language pathology assistant provided in R.S.
37:2659(D), holds a current, unsuspended, and unrevoked license issued by the board, works
under the direct supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist in accordance with
standards promulgated by the board, and performs only those duties specified in the rules and
regulations established by the board.
(8) "Over-the-counter hearing aid" means a hearing instrument or hearing aid that
meets the current United States Food and Drug Administration's requirements for this class
of device and which may be dispensed or sold without a hearing assessment, licensed hearing
instrument professional fitting and dispensing engagement, or return for credit privileges as
provided by federal law.
(9) "Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity,
except that only an individual shall be eligible for license or be issued a license under this
Chapter.
(10) "Personal sound amplification product" means an amplification device, as
defined by the United States Food and Drug Administration or the Federal Trade
Commission that is not labeled as a hearing aid and is not intended to treat hearing loss.
(11)(a) "Practice of audiology" means providing or offering to provide to individuals
or groups of individuals who have or are suspected of having disorders of the auditory
system, which includes any service in audiology, including prevention, identification,
evaluation, interpretation, counseling, consultation, habilitation, rehabilitation, instruction,
supervision, or research. The practice of audiology shall also include audiology services for
disorders of the vestibular system upon referral of a physician.
(b) An audiologist may engage in any task, procedure, act, or practice, including
cerumen management, that is necessary for any of the following:
(i) The evaluation of hearing and the monitoring of auditory and vestibular neural
functioning.
(ii) Training in the use of amplification, including classification of hearing aids and
assistive listening devices.
(iii) Making of earmolds.
(iv) Fitting, dispensing, and selling of all classification of hearing aids.
(v) Conducting speech and language screening, which is limited to a pass or fail
determination, for the purpose of identifying and referring individuals suspected of having
disorders of communication.
(vi) Following guidelines adopted by the board for a thirty-day trial period on hearing
aids dispensed.
(c) Any audiologist licensed to dispense hearing aids on or prior to the effective date
of this Act may continue to dispense, provided he meets the guidelines for license renewal.
(d) Any audiologist who comes to this state from a state with similar dispensing
qualifications as provided in this Chapter may apply to the board for reciprocity and
thereafter meet the guidelines for license renewal.
(e), (f) Repealed by Acts 2025, No. 363, §2.
(g) The practice of audiology may include speech and language screening, limited
to a pass or fail determination for the purpose of identifying and referring individuals
suspected of having disorders of communication.
(12) "Practice of speech-language pathology" means providing, or offering to
provide, to individuals or groups of individuals who have or are suspected of having
disorders of communication, including speech, voice, language, or cognitive processes and
disorders of oral-pharyngeal function, including dysphagia, any service in speech-language
pathology including prevention, identification, evaluation, interpretation, counseling,
consultation, habilitation, rehabilitation, instruction, supervision, and research. The practice
of speech-language pathology may include performing a hearing screening limited to a
pass/fail determination for the purpose of identifying or referring individuals suspected of
having disorders of hearing.
(13) "Prescription hearing aid" means a hearing instrument or hearing aid that meets
the United States Food and Drug Administration's requirements for this class of device and
which requires both of the following:
(a) A hearing assessment and prescription for medically necessary hearing aids prior
to purchase.
(b) A prescribed fitting and dispensing by a licensed audiologist or hearing
instrument professional.
(14) "Provisional license" means a license issued by the board to an individual who
meets the qualifications for provisional licensure established under R.S. 37:2659(B) and is
practicing speech-language pathology or audiology while completing the postgraduate
professional experience or examination as required by this Chapter. The provisional license
holder may perform the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology only while under
the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist in accordance with
standards promulgated by the board.
(15) "Provisional speech-language pathology assistant license" means a license
issued by the board to an individual who meets the qualifications for provisional licensure
established in R.S. 37:2659(E), and works under the direct supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist in accordance with standards promulgated by the board and performs
only those duties specified in the rules and regulations established by the board.
(16) "Restricted license" means a license issued to an individual who is certified by
the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education as a speech, hearing, and language
specialist or the equivalent as defined by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary
Education or as defined in R.S. 37:2659(C), wherein, the holder is authorized to perform the
practice of speech-language pathology only while under the direct supervision of a licensed
speech-language pathologist, in accordance with standards promulgated by the board.
(17) "Speech-language pathologist" means any person who represents himself to the
public by title or by description of services, methods, or procedures as one who offers to
provide or provides services involving the application of principles, methods, and procedures
of the science and profession of speech-language pathology.
(18) "Telehealth" or "telepractice" means the use of telehealth in the delivery of
speech-language pathology or audiology services, regardless of where the services are
rendered or delivered, constitutes the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology and
shall require Louisiana licensure for in-state practitioners and telehealth registration for out-of-state practitioners.