As used in this chapter, except as the context may require otherwise:

(1) “Department” means the Department of Public Health;

(2) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Public Health;

(3) “Hearing aid” means any wearable instrument or device designed for or offered for the purpose of aiding or compensating for impaired human hearing, and any parts, attachments or accessories, excluding batteries, earmolds and cords;

(4) “Practice of fitting hearing aids” means the comprehensive measurement of human hearing and determination and use of appropriate amplification related to hearing disorders, including, but not limited to, screening for the preexisting otological disorders listed in section 20-403, the making of impressions for earmolds, the making of selections and adaptation of hearing aids and the instruction and counseling in their use;

(5) “Licensed hearing instrument specialist” means a person, other than an audiologist or physician, licensed to engage in the practice of fitting or selling hearing aids;

(6) “Sell” or “sale” means any transfer of title or of the right to use by lease, or any other contract, for a consideration, excluding wholesale transactions with distributors or hearing instrument specialists;

(7) “Otolaryngologist” means a physician licensed under chapter 370 who is certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology and includes physicians in training programs approved by the American Board of Otolaryngology;

(8) “Audiologist” means a person who is licensed under sections 20-395a to 20-395g, inclusive, as an audiologist;

(9) “Used hearing aid” means a hearing aid that has been previously sold, leased or rented to a hearing aid user.

(1972, P.A. 295, S. 1; P.A. 74-155, S. 1, 3; P.A. 77-473, S. 1; 77-614, S. 323, 334, 610; P.A. 80-484, S. 130, 176; P.A. 87-60, S. 1; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; 95-360, S. 1; P.A. 99-111, S. 2; P.A. 09-232, S. 79.)

History: P.A. 74-155 redefined “hearing aid” to specifically exclude earmolds which had previously been specifically included; P.A. 77-473 redefined “practice of fitting hearing aids” to specifically exclude making selections of hearing aids and to delete reference to selling from both term and definition, redefined “audiologist” as one licensed under chapter 399 rather than as one granted certificate of competence by American Speech and Hearing Association and defined “used hearing aid” and “member of the public”, in new Subdivs. (10) and (11); P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner and department of health with commissioner and department of health services and deleted Subdiv. (3) defining “council” as advisory council on hearing aids, renumbering remaining subsections accordingly, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 80-484 deleted Subdiv. (10), formerly (11), defining “member of the public”; P.A. 87-60 redefined “practice of fitting hearing aids” to include the making of selections of hearing aids and deleted reference to an audiometer for the measurement of hearing; P.A. 93-381 replaced department and commissioner of health services with department and commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-360 redefined “otolaryngologist”, changing licensure “in this state” to “under chapter 370”; P.A. 99-111 made technical changes, replaced references to hearing aid dealers with references to hearing instrument specialists, amended Subdiv. (4) to redefine “practice of fitting hearing aids” and amended Subdiv. (5) to define “licensed hearing instrument specialist”; P.A. 09-232 amended Subdiv. (8) by replacing reference to Ch. 399 with reference to Secs. 20-395a to 20-395g.