Audiologists and Speech Pathologists - As enacted, removes requirement that persons seeking licensure as speech language pathologists be members of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. - Amends TCA Title 63,, the official text

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                             PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 796

                                                    SENATE BILL NO. 2065

                                                    By Watson, Gardenhire

                                           Substituted for: House Bill No. 1950

                                                       By Rudder, Terry

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapter 17, relative to professions of the
          healing arts.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-17-110(c)(1), is amended by deleting
the subdivision and substituting:

                   (1 )(A) A person who has completed the educational requirements for licensure as a
                   speech language pathologist and has received at least a master's degree from an
                   approved educational institution may apply for and receive from the board a
                   provisional license to practice as a clinical fellow during the person's period of
                   supervised clinical experience.

                             (B) An American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) certificate of
                   clinical competence is not required for an applicant to be eligible for a provisional
                    license under this subsection (c), and the board shall not require by rule such
                    certificate as an eligibility requirement.

                             (C) The board may adopt rules to establish standards and procedures to
                    govern provisional licenses and the provisional license fee.

          SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-17-111 (g), is amended by deleting the
subsection and substituting:

                    (g) A person who has made application to the board for licensure in this state as a
          speech language pathologist or audiologist may perform activities and services of a speech
          language pathology or audiological nature without a valid license while disposition of the
          person's application is pending, if the person:

                             (1)(A) Has passed the examination required for licensure under § 63-17-
                              11 0(b)(2); or

                                       (B) Is licensed in another state; and

                             (2)(A) Is an applicant for licensure as a speech language pathologist, the
                             person holds an American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) certificate
                             of clinical competence, or an equivalent certification acceptable to the board;
                             or

                                       (B) Is an applicant for licensure as an audiologist, the person holds a
                             doctor of audiology degree (Au.D.) from an accredited institution of higher
                             education.

          SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.
         SENATE BILL NO. 2065

PASSED:  April 6, 2026

                                        RANDY ~NALLY
                           SPEAKER OF THE ~ENA TE

                        CAMEROR-SEXTON,SPEAKER
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

         rd
             day of
Arr; 9.3 APPROVED this  I                 2026

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                      BILL LEE, GOVERNOR