Effective 28 Aug 2018

346.055. Requirements for licensure. — 1. An applicant may obtain a license provided the applicant:

(1) Is at least eighteen years of age; and

(2) Is of good moral character; and

(3) Successfully passes a qualifying examination as described under sections 346.010 to 346.250; and

(4) (a) Holds an associate's degree or higher, from a state or regionally accredited institution of higher education, in hearing instrument sciences; or

(b) Holds an associate's level degree or higher, from a state or regionally accredited institution of higher education and submits proof of completion of the International Hearing Society's Distance Learning for Professionals in Hearing Health Sciences Course; or

(c) Holds a master's or doctoral degree in audiology from a state or regionally accredited institution; or

(d) Holds a current, unsuspended, unrevoked license from another country if the standards for licensing in such country, as determined by the board, are substantially equivalent to or exceed those required in paragraph (a) or (b) of this subdivision; or

(e) Holds a current, unsuspended, unrevoked license from another country, has been actively practicing as a licensed hearing aid fitter or dispenser in another country for no less than forty-eight of the last seventy-two months, and submits proof of completion of advance certification from either the International Hearing Society or the National Board for Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences.

2. The provisions of subsection 1 of this section shall not apply to any person holding a valid Missouri hearing instrument specialist license under this chapter when applying for the renewal of that license. These provisions shall apply to any person holding a hearing instrument specialist-in-training permit at the time of their application for licensure or renewal of said permit.

3. (1) The board shall promulgate reasonable standards and rules for the evaluation of applicants for purposes of determining the course of instruction and training required of each applicant for a hearing instrument specialist license under the requirement of subdivision (4) of subsection 1 of this section.

(2) Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2013, shall be invalid and void.

­­--------

(L. 1973 H.B. 396 & 257 § 11, A.L. 1981 S.B. 16, A.L. 1995 S.B. 69, et al., A.L. 2007 H.B. 780 merged with S.B. 308, A.L. 2013 S.B. 330, A.L. 2014 S.B. 808, A.L. 2018 S.B. 840)