Idaho § 54-2905 - Exemptions

§ 54-2905. Exemptions

(1) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to restrict:

(a) Any person licensed or regulated by the state of Idaho from engaging in the profession or practice for which he or she is licensed or regulated, including but not limited to any certified or accredited teacher of the deaf, nurse, physician, occupational therapist, physical therapist, surgeon, or any other licensed or regulated practitioner of the healing arts;

(b) Any employee working under the direct supervision of those persons referred to in this section, as long as such employee does not hold himself or herself out as an audiologist, speech-language pathologist, speech-language pathologist aide or assistant, sign language interpreter, hearing aid dealer or fitter, or a person engaged in the practice of audiology, speech-language pathology, sign language interpreting, or hearing aid dealing and fitting; or

(c) Any person working in an Idaho public school setting who has received and holds, in good standing, a pupil personnel services certificate with a speech-language pathologist endorsement or audiologist endorsement, or any person working as a speech-language pathologist aide or speech-language pathologist assistant, as those terms are defined in section 54-2903 , Idaho Code, in a public school setting under the direction and supervision of a person with such endorsement in good standing. Such persons, while practicing in the public school setting, shall be exempt from all provisions of this chapter; provided however, that any such person working in an Idaho public school setting with a pupil personnel services certificate with a speech-language pathologist endorsement or audiology endorsement, or a speech-language pathologist aide or speech-language pathologist assistant, shall be prohibited from practicing independently in a setting other than a public school unless such person is duly licensed as set forth in this chapter.

(2) Licensure shall not be required for persons pursuing a course of study leading to a degree in audiology, speech-language pathology, sign language interpreting, or hearing aid dealing and fitting at a college or university with a curriculum acceptable to the board provided that:

(a) Activities and services otherwise regulated by this chapter constitute a part of a planned course of study at that institution;

(b) Such persons are designated by a title such as "intern," "trainee," "student," or by other such title clearly indicating the status appropriate to their level of education; and

(c) Such persons work under the supervision of a person licensed by this state to practice audiology, speech-language pathology, sign language interpreting, or hearing aid dealing and fitting in accordance with administrative rules governing supervision as adopted by the board. The supervising audiologist, speech-language pathologist, sign language interpreter, or hearing aid dealer and fitter accepts full responsibility for the activities and services provided by such persons supervised.

(3) Nothing in this chapter shall restrict a person residing in another state or country and authorized to practice audiology, speech-language pathology, sign language interpreting, or hearing aid dealing or fitting in that jurisdiction, who is called in consultation by a person licensed in this state to practice audiology, speech-language pathology, sign language interpreting, or hearing aid dealing and fitting, or who, for the purpose of furthering audiology, speech-language pathology, sign language interpreting, or hearing aid dealing and fitting education, is invited into this state to conduct a lecture, clinic or demonstration, while engaged in activities in connection with the consultation, lecture, clinic or demonstration, as long as such person does not open an office or appoint a place to meet clients or receive calls in this state.

(4) The provisions of this chapter regarding licensure of sign language interpreters shall not apply to the following:

(a) A person holding a current license is allowed to interpret in a preschool and/or K-12 setting pursuant to section 33-1304 , Idaho Code;

(b) A person working in an Idaho public school setting who engages in the practice of sign language interpreting and meets the requirements of and is interpreting within the scope of the Idaho educational interpreter act, chapter 13, title 33 , Idaho Code;

(c) A person who is deaf or hard of hearing and does not possess interpreter certification or credentials may, at the discretion of the board by rule, perform in the role of a deaf interpreter;

(d) A student enrolled in a sign language interpreter educational program provided by an accredited college or university performing sign language interpretation as an integral part of the student’s course of study and as supervised by a licensed sign language interpreter;

(e) Individuals licensed and/or state or nationally certified as sign language interpreters in another state authorizing such individuals to practice sign language interpreting in Idaho for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days pursuant to such terms and requirements as set forth in the rules of the board;

(f) A person providing services to the activities and services of any religious denomination or sect;

(g) Interpreting in an inconsequential situation, which means the level of significance is such that a licensed interpreter would not be deemed necessary for effective communication during that interaction. Inconsequential situations may include but are not limited to: ordering food at a restaurant, checking into a hotel or purchasing an item from a retailer;

(h) A person providing services in a private, noncommercial, family event;

(i) Exigent emergency circumstances for temporary interpreting services until a qualified interpreter can be obtained; or

(j) A person employed by a person or an entity that is a licensed video remote interpreting provider in this state.

(5) Interpreters and video remote interpreting services performing interpretation for the judicial department will be selected and assigned and will provide interpreting services pursuant to rules and orders promulgated by the Idaho supreme court to ensure full access to the courts and court services for all deaf and hard of hearing persons as required by the due process provisions of the United States and Idaho constitutions and the provisions of the Americans with disabilities act (ADA).

[54-2905, added 2005, ch. 277, sec. 2, p. 855; am. 2017, ch. 67, sec. 4, p. 160; am. 2018, ch. 72, sec. 1, p. 166; am. 2025, ch. 176, sec. 2, p. 829.]