Alabama Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, minimum educational qualifications for speech-language pathology assistant provided

HB 441 sets specific minimum educational qualifications and supervision requirements for speech-language pathology assistants in Alabama, affecting those seeking to register for this role and the licensed professionals who supervise them. It requires assistants to complete at least 30 semester credit hours in speech and hearing sciences, including dedicated hours for language and speech disorders, and 100 clinical practicum hours for those in associate degree programs. Assistants must practice under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist, who must meet specific experience criteria and can supervise a maximum of three assistants. The bill also defines acceptable work settings for assistants without a bachelor's degree and outlines annual registration renewal.