South Carolina § 40-67-530 - State participation in compact.

§ 40-67-530. State participation in compact.

(A) A license issued to an audiologist or speech-language pathologist by a home state to a resident in that state must be recognized by each member state as authorizing an audiologist or speech-language pathologist to practice audiology or speech-language pathology, under a privilege to practice, in each member state.

(B) In addition to other requirements established by law and for the purpose of determining an applicant's eligibility for an initial compact privilege, the department shall require a national criminal records check, supported by fingerprints, by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The results of this criminal records check must be reported to the department. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is authorized to retain the fingerprints for certification purposes and for notification of the department regarding criminal charges. Costs of conducting a criminal history background check must be borne by the applicant. The department shall keep information received pursuant to this section confidential, except that information relied upon in denying licensure may be disclosed as may be necessary to support the administrative action. The results of this criminal records check must not be shared outside the department.

(C) Upon application for a privilege to practice, the licensing board in the issuing remote state shall ascertain, through the data system, whether the applicant has ever held, or is the holder of, a license issued by any other state, whether there are any encumbrances on any license or privilege to practice held by the applicant, whether any adverse action has been taken against any license or privilege to practice held by the applicant.

(D) Each member state must require an applicant to obtain or retain a license in the home state and meet the home state's qualifications for licensure or renewal of licensure, as well as, all other applicable state laws.

(E) An audiologist must:

(1) meet one of the following educational requirements:

(a) on or before December 31, 2007, graduate with a master's degree or doctorate in audiology, or equivalent degree regardless of degree name, from a program that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, or its successor, or by the United States Department of Education and operated by a college or university accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization recognized by the board;

(b) on or after January 1, 2008, graduate with a doctoral degree in audiology, or equivalent degree, regardless of degree name, from a program that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or its successor, or by the United States Department of Education and operated by a college or university accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization recognized by the board;

(c) graduate from an audiology program that is housed in an institution of higher education outside of the United States: (i) for which the program and institution have been approved by the authorized accrediting body in the applicable country and (ii) the degree program has been verified by an independent credentials review agency to be comparable to a state licensing board-approved program;

(2) complete a supervised clinical practicum experience from an accredited educational institution or its cooperating programs as required by the commission;

(3) pass a national examination approved by the commission;

(4) hold an active, unencumbered license;

(5) not have been convicted or found guilty, and has not entered into an agreed disposition, of a felony related to the practice of audiology, under applicable state or federal criminal law; and

(6) have a valid United States Social Security or National Practitioner Identification number.

(F) A speech-language pathologist must:

(1) meet one of the following educational requirements:

(a) graduate with a master's degree from a speech-language pathology program that is accredited by an organization recognized by the United States Department of Education and operated by a college or university accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization recognized by the board; or

(b) graduate from a speech-language pathology program that is housed in an institution of higher education outside the United States: (i) for which the program and institution have been approved by the authorized accrediting body in the applicable country and (ii) the degree program has been verified by an independent credentials review agency to be comparable to a state licensing board-approved program;

(2) complete a supervised clinical practicum experience from an accredited educational institution or its cooperating programs as required by the commission;

(3) complete a supervised postgraduate professional experience as required by the commission;

(4) pass a national examination approved by the commission;

(5) hold an active, unencumbered license;

(6) not have been convicted or found guilty, and has not entered into an agreed disposition, of a felony related to the practice of speech-language pathology, under applicable state or federal criminal law; and

(7) have a valid United States Social Security or National Practitioner Identification number.

(G) The privilege to practice is derived from the home state license.

(H) An audiologist or speech-language pathologist practicing in a member state must comply with the state practice laws of the state in which the client is located at the time the service is provided. The practice of audiology and speech-language pathology includes all audiology and speech-language pathology practice as defined by the state practice laws of the member state in which the client is located. The practice of audiology and speech-language pathology in a member state under a privilege to practice subjects an audiologist or speech-language pathologist to the jurisdiction of the licensing board, the courts, and the laws of the member state in which the client is located at the time service is provided.

(I) Individuals not residing in a member state may apply for a member state's single-state license as provided under the laws of each member state. However, the single-state license granted to these individuals is not recognized as granting the privilege to practice audiology or speech-language pathology in any other member state. Nothing in this compact shall affect the requirements established by a member state for the issuance of a single-state license.

(J) Member states may charge a fee for granting a compact privilege.

(K) Member states must comply with the bylaws and rules and regulations of the commission.

HISTORY: 2022 Act No. 160 (H.3840), SECTION 1, eff May 13, 2022.