(a) There is created a State Board of Speech/Language Pathologists, Audiologists, and Hearing Aid Dispensers, which shall administer and enforce this chapter.

Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 24 Sec. 3703

  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Audiologist: shall mean a person who is licensed to practice audiology pursuant to this act and who offers such services to the public under any title or description of services incorporating the words "audiologist" "hearing clinician" "hearing therapist" "aural rehabilitator" or any other similar title or description of service. See Delaware Code Title 24 Sec. 3702
  • Board: shall mean the State Board of Speech/Language Pathologists, Audiologists and Hearing Aid Dispensers established in this chapter. See Delaware Code Title 24 Sec. 3702
  • Division: shall mean the state Division of Professional Regulation. See Delaware Code Title 24 Sec. 3702
  • Hearing aid: shall mean any personal, wearable instrument or device designed for, offered for the purpose of, or represented as, aiding persons with, or compensating for, impaired hearing. See Delaware Code Title 24 Sec. 3702
  • Hearing aid dispenser: shall mean a person licensed to dispense hearing aids pursuant to this Act and who is engaged in the evaluation or measurement of the power or range of human hearing by means of an audiometer or any other means devised for the purpose of selecting, adapting and distributing or selling of hearing aids. See Delaware Code Title 24 Sec. 3702
  • Person: shall mean a corporation, company, association or partnership, as well as an individual. See Delaware Code Title 24 Sec. 3702
  • Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
  • State: shall mean the State of Delaware. See Delaware Code Title 24 Sec. 3702
  • Year: means a calendar year, and is equivalent to the words "year of our Lord. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302

(b) The Board shall consist of 9 members, appointed by the Governor, who are residents of this State: 3 shall be speech/language pathologists licensed under this chapter; 2 shall be audiologists licensed under this chapter, 1 shall be a hearing aid dispenser licensed under this chapter, and 3 public members. Each professional member of the Board shall be a primary practitioner of that member’s specialty. The public members shall not be, nor ever have been, speech/language pathologists, audiologists or hearing aid dispensers; nor members of the immediate family of a speech/language pathologist, audiologist or hearing aid dispenser; shall not have been employed by a speech/language pathologist, audiologist or hearing aid dispenser, or a company engaged in the practice of speech/language pathology, audiology or dispensing hearing aids; shall not have a material interest in the providing of goods and services to speech/language pathologists, audiologists or hearing aid dispensers; nor have been engaged in an activity directly related to speech/language pathology, audiology or dispensing hearing aids. The public members shall be accessible to inquiries, comments and suggestions from the general public.

(c) Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, each member shall serve a term of 3 years, and may succeed himself or herself for 1 additional term; provided, however, that where a member was initially appointed to fill a vacancy, such member may succeed himself or herself for only 1 additional full term. Any person appointed to fill a vacancy on the Board shall hold office for the remainder of the unexpired term of the former member. Each term of office shall expire on the date specified in the appointment; however, the Board member shall remain eligible to participate in Board proceedings unless or until replaced by the Governor. Persons who are members of the Board on February 4, 2000, shall complete their terms.

(d) A person who has never served on the Board may be appointed to the Board for 2 consecutive terms; but no such person shall thereafter be eligible for 2 consecutive appointments. No person who has been twice appointed to the Board or who has served on the Board for 6 years within any 9-year period shall again be appointed to the Board until an interim period of at least 1 term has expired since such person last served.

(e) Any act or vote by a person appointed in violation of this section shall be invalid. An amendment or revision of this chapter is not sufficient cause for any appointment or attempted appointment in violation of subsection (d) of this section unless such an amendment or revision amends this section to permit such an appointment.

(f) A member of the Board shall be suspended or removed by the Governor for misfeasance, nonfeasance, malfeasance, misconduct, incompetency or neglect of duty. A member subject to disciplinary hearing shall be disqualified from Board business until the charge is adjudicated or the matter is otherwise concluded. A Board member may appeal any suspension or removal to the Superior Court.

(g) No member of the Board, while serving on the Board, shall hold elective office in any professional association of speech/language pathologists, audiologists or hearing aid dispensers; this includes a prohibition against serving as head of a professional association’s Political Action Committee (PAC).

(h) The provisions set forth in Chapter 58 of Title 29 shall apply to all members of the Board.

(i) Any member who is absent without adequate reason for 3 consecutive meetings or fails to attend at least half of all regular business meetings during any calendar year shall be guilty of neglect of duty.

(j) Each member of the Board shall be reimbursed for all expenses involved in each meeting, including travel; and in addition shall receive compensation per meeting attended in an amount determined by the Division in accordance with Del. Const. art. III, § 9.

24 Del. C. 1953, § ?3607; 59 Del. Laws, c. 206, § ?1; 63 Del. Laws, c. 151, § ?8; 65 Del. Laws, c. 224, § ?1; 67 Del. Laws, c. 368, § ?24; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § ?1; 72 Del. Laws, c. 266, § ?1; 77 Del. Laws, c. 154, § ?2; 81 Del. Laws, c. 85, § 20;

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