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HB925 • 2026

SPEECH/PATH/AUDIO: Provides relative to the practice of audiology and speech-language pathology

SPEECH/PATH/AUDIO: Provides relative to the practice of audiology and speech-language pathology

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Chance Henry
Last action
2026-03-09
Official status
Pending House Health and Welfare - Sched. for 4/8/26
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

SPEECH/PATH/AUDIO: Provides relative to the practice of audiology and speech-language pathology

SPEECH/PATH/AUDIO: Provides relative to the practice of audiology and speech-language pathology

What This Bill Does

  • SPEECH/PATH/AUDIO: Provides relative to the practice of audiology and speech-language pathology

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Draft

Plain English: HCAHB925 4921 3287 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to Original House Bill No.

  • HCAHB925 4921 3287 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to Original House Bill No.
  • 925 by Representative Chance Henry 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 1, line 3, delete "to the definitions relevant" 3 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 2 4 On page 1, line 7, change "are" to "is" 5 AMENDMENT NO.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-09 H

    Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.

  2. 2026-02-27 H

    First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.

  3. 2026-02-27 H

    Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.

  4. 2026-02-27 H

    Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

SPEECH/PATH/AUDIO: Provides relative to the practice of audiology and speech-language pathology

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HLS 26RS-1120 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 925
BY REPRESENTATIVE HENRY
SPEECH/PATH/AUDIO: Provides relative to the practice of audiology and speech-
language pathology
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 37:2651(11)(a) and enact R.S. 37:2651(11)(e) and (f), relative
3 to the definitions relevant to speech language pathology and audiology; to provide
4 for definitions; to provide for guidelines for the practice of audiology; and to provide
5 for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 37:2651(11)(a) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
8 37:2651(11)(e) and (f) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §2651. Definitions
10 * * *
11 (11)(a) "Practice of audiology" means providing or offering to provide to
12 individuals or groups of individuals who have or are suspected of having disorders
13 of the auditory system, which includes any service in audiology, including
14 prevention, identification, evaluation, interpretation, counseling, consultation,
15 habilitation, rehabilitation, instruction, supervision, or research. The practice of
16 audiology shall also include audiology services for disorders of the vestibular system
17 upon referral of a physician.
18 * * *
19 (11)(e) An audiologist is permitted to perform any of the following:
Page 1 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1120 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 925
1 (i) Order cultures and blood work testing solely as related to the auditory or
2 vestibular conditions in the human ear.
3 (ii) Order and perform in-office non-radiographic testing of the external
4 auditory canal solely for the evaluation of hearing and balance disorders.
5 (iii) Order radiographic imaging solely as related to the auditory or vestibular
6 conditions in the human ear.
7 (f) An audiologist is prohibited from performing any of the following:
8 (i) Surgery using an instrument including a laser, scalpel, needle, cautery,
9 cryoprobe, or suture, in which human tissue is cut, burned, vaporized, removed, or
10 otherwise permanently altered by mechanical, laser, ionizing radiation, ultrasound,
11 or other means.
12 (ii) Osseointegrated device surgery.
13 (iii) Cochlear implant surgery.
14 (iv) The preparation, operation, or performance of radiographic imaging; or
15 the use or interpretation of cultures, blood work testing, or radiographic imaging to
16 diagnose or treat patients.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 925 Original 2026 Regular Session Henry
Abstract: Provides clarification relative to the practice of audiology and speech-language
pathology.
Present law provides for the practice of audiology to also include audiology services for
disorders of the vestibular system upon referral of a physician.
Proposed law removes the referral of a physician provision.
Proposed law permits audiologists to order cultures, blood work testing, and radiographic
imaging solely related to the auditory or vestibular conditions in the human ear; and to order
and perform in-office non-radiographic testing for the purposes hearing and balance disorder
evaluations.
Proposed law prohibits audiologists from performing surgery using instruments including
a laser, scalpel, needle, cautery, cryoprobe, or suture, in which human tissue is modified or
otherwise permanently altered by mechanical, laser, ionizing radiation, ultrasound, or other
means.
Page 2 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-1120 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 925
Proposed law prohibits audiologists from performing osseointegrated device and cochlear
implant surgery.
Proposed law prohibits audiologists from the preparation, operation, or performance of
radiographic imaging; or the use or interpretation of cultures, blood work testing, or
radiographic imaging to diagnose or treat patients.
(Amends R.S. 37:2651(11)(a) and Adds R.S. 37:2651(11)(e) and (f))
Page 3 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.