Audiologist autonomy

AN ACT Relating to protecting the clinical autonomy of 1
audiologists; amending RCW 18.35.161; and creating a new section.2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) Telehealth, including teleaudiology, 4
is an increasingly vital modality for delivering cost-effective, 5
patient-centered health care services that increase quality and 6
expand access to care, as recognized by industry leaders such as the 7
United States department of health and human services, the veterans 8
administration, the American academy of audiology, the American 9
speech-language-hearing association, and the Washington state 10
department of health.11
(2) As a growing number of Washingtonians come to rely upon 12
telehealth to access essential health care services, regulatory 13
frameworks should support the clinical judgment and autonomy of 14
licensed professionals to determine whether telehealth or in-person 15
treatment is the best solution for a specific patient.16
(3) Regulation of professional health care services should not 17
create different professional practice standards for telehealth and 18
in-person services. Instead, efforts to regulate professional 19
services should be modality-agnostic and focus on ensuring the 20
applicable standard of care is met. 21
H-3026.1
HOUSE BILL 2618
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Representative Shavers
Read first time 01/22/26. Referred to Committee on Health Care &
Wellness.
p. 1 HB 2618
(4) Therefore, it is the legislature's intent to ensure 1
audiologists maintain autonomy in clinical decision making and 2
determining the appropriate modality for care. 3
Sec. 2. RCW 18.35.161 and 2014 c 189 s 13 are each amended to 4
read as follows: 5
The board shall have the following powers and duties:6
(1) To establish by rule such minimum standards and procedures in 7
the fitting and dispensing of hearing instruments as deemed 8
appropriate and in the public interest , and ensuring that such 9
standards are applied consistently across different modalities of 10
care and not in a manner which infringes upon the clinical autonomy 11
of licensed practitioners; 12
(2) To adopt any other rules necessary to implement this chapter 13
and which are not inconsistent with it; 14
(3) To develop, approve, and administer or supervise the 15
administration of examinations to applicants for licensure under this 16
chapter; 17
(4) To require a licensee or interim permit holder to make 18
restitution to any individual injured by a violation of this chapter 19
or chapter 18.130 RCW, the uniform disciplinary act. The authority to 20
require restitution does not limit the board's authority to take 21
other action deemed appropriate and provided for in this chapter or 22
chapter 18.130 RCW; 23
(5) To pass upon the qualifications of applicants for licensure 24
or interim permits and to certify to the secretary;25
(6) To recommend requirements for continuing education and 26
continuing competency requirements as a prerequisite to renewing a 27
license or certification under this chapter; 28
(7) To keep an official record of all its proceedings. The record 29
is evidence of all proceedings of the board that are set forth in 30
this record; 31
(8) To adopt rules, if the board finds it appropriate, in 32
response to questions put to it by professional health associations, 33
hearing aid specialists, audiologists, speech-language pathologists, 34
interim permit holders, and consumers in this state; and35
(9) To adopt rules relating to standards of care relating to 36
hearing aid specialists or audiologists, including the dispensing of 37
hearing instruments, and relating to speech-language pathologists, 38
including dispensing of communication devices , while respecting the 39
p. 2 HB 2618
clinical decision making and clinical autonomy of licensed 1
practitioners to determine the most appropriate modality or method of 2
treatment to meet such standards of care. 3
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p. 3 HB 2618