Title 201 | Chapter 017 | Regulation 036E
Pursuant to KRS 13A.190(1)(a)2., KRS 334A.055, and KRS 334A.188 SECTION 3.B.1, this emergency amendment to the administrative regulation is being promulgated to comply with the adoption of 2026 HB 657 which requires the Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (the “Board”) to require a national and state criminal background investigation for every applicant seeking an initial license issued by the Board to engage in the practice of speech-language pathology and audiology, and applicants seeking to reinstate a license. The criminal background investigation shall be by means of a fingerprint check by the Department of Kentucky State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The effective date of KRS 334A.055 requires that this emergency amendment be promulgated to ensure there is no delay in processing applications upon the effective date of the Act. As a result, this emergency amendment to the administrative regulation—and the identical amendment to the ordinary regulation being concomitantly filed—have been amended to align with this statutory change to offset the potential delay in processing licensure applications—whereby the Board would be unable to process applications and collect fees in accordance with the terms of the statute—and therefore “[p]revent an imminent loss of federal or state funds” pursuant to KRS 13A.190(1)(a)2. This emergency amended administrative regulation is temporary and will be replaced by an ordinary amended administrative regulation as provided by KRS 13A.190. The ordinary amendment will be filed with this emergency amendment and will be identical.
201 KAR 17:036E.Requirements for licensure for an audiologist.
Section 1.
Application for Licensure. Each applicant for licensure as an audiologist shall:(1)
Submit an "Application for Licensure", form DPL-SLPA-04, incorporated by reference in 201 KAR 17:012;(2)
Pay the fee as established in 201 KAR 17:030;(3)
Submit an official academic transcript sent directly by the academic institution to the board; and(4)
Have the results of a national and state criminal background investigation performed within the last ninety (90) days by the Department of Kentucky State Police (KSP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) submitted directly to the board. The applicant shall pay any required fee to the KSP and FBI. Any cases officially expunged shall not have to be disclosed by the applicant and shall not be considered by the board as a conviction for the purposes of this subparagraph.Section 2.
Education and Experience. Each applicant for licensure as an audiologist (AUD) in Kentucky shall meet the requirements established by this section.(1)
(a)
An applicant shall provide a certified transcript confirming attainment of a doctorate degree in the area of audiology or substantive equivalent as described in paragraph (b) of this subsection, from a program accredited by the Council for Academic Accreditation of the American Speech Language Hearing Association or the Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education of the American Academy of Audiology.(b)
An applicant shall have equivalent education if the applicant holds:1.
A doctoral degree in audiology from a program accredited by the Council for Academic Accreditation of the American Speech Language Hearing Association; or2.
A master's degree from a program accredited by the Council for Academic Accreditation of the American Speech Language Hearing Association conferred before January 1, 2007.(2)
The applicant shall have passed a national PRAXIS examination in audiology. Official documentation of scores shall be sent to the board directly from Educational Testing Services.(3)
An applicant licensed in another state shall submit a letter of good standing from each state where the applicant is licensed.Pursuant to KRS 13A.190(1)(a)2., KRS 334A.055, and KRS 334A.188 SECTION 3.B.1, this emergency amendment to the administrative regulation is being promulgated to comply with the adoption of 2026 HB 657 which requires the Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (the “Board”) to require a national and state criminal background investigation for every applicant seeking an initial license issued by the Board to engage in the practice of speech-language pathology and audiology, and applicants seeking to reinstate a license. The criminal background investigation shall be by means of a fingerprint check by the Department of Kentucky State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The effective date of KRS 334A.055 requires that this emergency amendment be promulgated to ensure there is no delay in processing applications upon the effective date of the Act. As a result, this emergency amendment to the administrative regulation—and the identical amendment to the ordinary regulation being concomitantly filed—have been amended to align with this statutory change to offset the potential delay in processing licensure applications—whereby the Board would be unable to process applications and collect fees in accordance with the terms of the statute—and therefore “[p]revent an imminent loss of federal or state funds” pursuant to KRS 13A.190(1)(a)2. This emergency amended administrative regulation is temporary and will be replaced by an ordinary amended administrative regulation as provided by KRS 13A.190. The ordinary amendment will be filed with this emergency amendment and will be identical.