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• Introduced by Sen. Rosa Franklin, (D-Tacoma) (D) on January 27, 2009, regulates speech-language pathology services and speech-language pathology assistantsto safeguard the public health, safety, and welfare, to protect the public from incompetent, unscrupulous, unauthorized persons and unprofessional conduct, and to ensure the availability of the highest possible standards of speech-language pathology services .
  • Referred to the Senate Health & Long-Term Care Committee on January 27, 2009.
    • Substitute offered in the Senate on February 19, 2009, to provide a definition for "hearing health care professional." DOH is given authority to establish a fee for licensure. The SLP Board of Hearing and Speech board member is replaced with an advisory, nonvoting member. The substitute passed in the Senate by voice vote on February 19, 2009.
  • Referred to the Senate Ways & Means Committee on February 19, 2009.
  • Referred to the Senate Rules Committee on March 9, 2009.
    • Amendment offered by Sen. Rosa Franklin, (D-Tacoma) (D) on March 12, 2009, to remove language referring to speech-language pathology assistant. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 12, 2009.
• Passed in the Senate (34 to 14) on March 12, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on March 13, 2009.
  • Referred to the House Health Care and Wellness Committee on March 13, 2009.
    • Amendment offered in the House on March 26, 2009, to change the licensure program for speech-language pathology assistants to a certification program; removes the definition of "hearing health care professional;" exempts certified speech-language pathology assistants from the requirement that a health carrier cover every category of health provider; and requires the Superintendent to report to the DOH complaints and disciplinary actions taken against certified educational staff associates providing speech-language pathology services in schools, and complaints regarding certified speech-language pathology assistants. The amendment failed in the House by voice vote on March 26, 2009.
  • Referred to the House Health & Human Services Appropriations Committee on March 30, 2009.
    • Amendment offered in the House on April 3, 2009, to create a definition of hearing health care professional and clarify that certification requirements apply to speech language pathology assistants. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on April 3, 2009.
  • Referred to the House Rules Committee on April 6, 2009.
• Passed in the House (64 to 32) on April 14, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on April 20, 2009. Passed in the Senate (34 to 14) on April 20, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Signed by Gov. Christine Gregoire on April 30, 2009, the designation of speech-language pathology assistant can only be used by a licensed individual providing services under the supervision of a licensed SLP.Describes minimum qualifications and gives the Secretary of DOH disciplinary authority and the Board of Hearing and Speech is given the authority to develop rules regarding the supervision of assistants. Amendments adopted changing licensure program to a certification program and requires the OSPI to report on complaints and disciplinary actions taken against speech-language pathology assistants.