Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 37. PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS

CHAPTER 15. SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS AND AUDIOLOGISTS

Part 1. General

Exemptions -- Rulemaking

37-15-103. Exemptions -- rulemaking. (1) This chapter does not prevent a person licensed in this state under any other law from engaging in the profession or business for which that person is licensed.

(2) This chapter does not restrict or prevent activities of a speech-language pathology or audiology nature or the use of the official title of the position for which the activities were performed on the part of a speech-language pathologist or audiologist employed by federal agencies.

(3) Those persons performing activities described in subsection (2) who are not licensed under this chapter may perform those activities only within the confines of or under the jurisdiction of the organization in which they are employed and may not offer speech-language pathology or audiology services to the public for compensation over and above the salary they receive for performance of their official duties with organizations by which they are employed. However, without obtaining a license under this chapter, these persons may consult or disseminate their research findings and scientific information to other accredited academic institutions or governmental agencies. They also may offer lectures to the public for a fee without being licensed under this chapter.

(4) This chapter does not restrict the activities and services of a student in speech-language pathology or audiology from pursuing a course of study in speech-language pathology or audiology at an accredited or approved college or university or an approved clinical training facility. However, these activities and services must constitute a part of a supervised course of study, and a fee may not accrue directly or indirectly to the student. These students must be designated by the title "speech-language pathology or audiology intern", "speech-language pathology or audiology trainee", or a title clearly indicating the training status appropriate to the level of training.

(5) This chapter does not restrict a person from another state from offering speech-language pathology or audiology services in this state if the services are performed for not more than 5 days in any calendar year and if the services are performed in cooperation with a speech-language pathologist or audiologist licensed under this chapter. However, by securing a temporary license from the board subject to limitations that the board may impose, a person not a resident of this state who is not licensed under this chapter but who is licensed under the law of another state that has established licensure requirements at least equivalent to those established by this chapter may offer speech-language pathology or audiology services in this state for not more than 30 days in any calendar year if the services are performed in cooperation with a speech-language pathologist or audiologist licensed under this chapter.

(6) This chapter does not restrict a person holding a class A certificate issued by the conference of executives of American schools of the deaf from performing the functions for which the person qualifies.

(7) This chapter does not restrict a person who is licensed in this state as a hearing aid dispenser from performing the functions for which the person qualifies and that are described in Title 37, chapter 16.

(8) (a) An audiologist who orders, sells, dispenses, or fits prescription hearing aids is exempt from the licensing requirements or other provisions of Title 37, chapter 16.

(b) The board may adopt rules pertaining to the selling, dispensing, and fitting of prescription hearing aids and prescription hearing aid parts, attachments, and accessories.

History: En. 66-3904 by Sec. 4, Ch. 543, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 66-3904; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 413, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 367, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 262, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 24, Ch. 19, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 342, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 483, L. 2023.