South Carolina General Assembly
106th Session, 1985-1986

Bill 3704

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               3704
Ratification Number:       490
Act Number:                441
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   Relating to renewal of hearing aid
                           dealers and fitters' licenses and the
                           continuing education requirements in order to
                           maintain a license
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(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A441, R490, H3704)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 40-25-150, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO RENEWAL OF HEARING AID DEALERS AND FITTERS' LICENSES AND THE CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A LICENSE, SO AS TO REVISE THE MANNER IN WHICH THE COMMISSION OF HEARING AID DEALERS AND FITTERS APPROVES CONTINUING EDUCATION TRAINING PROGRAMS.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Fee

SECTION 1. Section 40-25-150 of the 1976 Code, as amended by Act 448 of 1982, is further amended to read:

"Section 40-25-150. Each person who engages in the fitting and sale of hearing aids shall annually, on or before January thirtieth, pay to the Department a fee of fifty dollars for issuance or a renewal of his license and shall keep the certificate conspicuously posted in his office or place of business at all times. Where more than one office is operated by the licensee, duplicate certificates must be issued by the Department for posting in each location. A thirty day grace period is allowed after January thirtieth, during which time licenses may be renewed on payment of a fee of sixty dollars to the Department. After expiration of the grace period, the Department may renew the certificates upon payment of seventy-five dollars to the Department. No person who applies for renewal, whose license has expired is required to submit to any examination as a condition to renewal, provided the renewal application is made within two years from the date of the expiration.

Any licensee or temporary permit holder must maintain a progressing level of professional competence by participation during each calendar year in educational programs designed to keep the licensee informed of changes, current practices, and developments pertaining to the fitting of hearing aids and rehabilitation as appropriate to hearing aid use.

The licensee shall annually submit to the Commission proof of having participated in a minimum of eight hours of continuing education during the calendar year. A licensee who is granted a license during a calendar year is not required to complete the requirement during that year and the requirement shall begin the second full licensing year. The requirement may be fulfilled by attending and participating in training activities approved by the Commission.

Any person or organization desiring to conduct continuing education training programs must submit the programs to the Commission for approval prior to their presentation. The Commission shall develop procedures for submitting these requests and for approving or disapproving them.

Failure to complete the minimum educational requirements shall result in a license suspension until the requirements are met. The Commission, upon sufficient cause shown by the licensee, may allow the licensee to make up the necessary hours during the next calendar year. The make-up allowance shall not waive the full annual requirements for continued education."

Time effective

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.