Chapter 459

459.08(1) (1) A person who holds a license shall notify the department in writing or in accordance with other notification procedures approved by the department of the regular address of the places where he or she engages or intends to engage in the practice of ordering, fitting, and dealing in hearing aids. The licensee shall inform the board of any changes in these addresses within 30 days of the change.

459.08(2) (2) The department shall keep a record of the places of practice of persons who hold licenses.

459.08(3) (3) Any notice required to be given by the department to a person who holds a license shall be mailed to the person by registered or certified mail at the address of the last place of practice of which he or she has notified the department.

459.08 History History: 1979 c. 162 ss. 37, 38 (4); 1983 a. 289; 1997 a. 27; 2023 a. 179.

459.085 459.085 Calibration of audiometric equipment. Audiometric equipment used in the evaluation of hearing sensitivity for the fitting and sale of hearing aids shall be calibrated periodically, as specified by rule by the examining board.

459.085 History History: 1995 a. 170; 2003 a. 270; 2009 a. 356.

459.09 459.09 Renewal and posting of license.

459.09(1) (1) Each person issued a license under this subchapter shall, on or before the applicable renewal date specified under s. 440.08 (2) (a), do all of the following:

459.09(1)(a) (a) Pay to the department the applicable renewal fee determined by the department under s. 440.03 (9) (a).

459.09(1)(b) (b) Submit with the renewal application proof that he or she completed, within the 2 years immediately preceding the date of his or her application, 20 hours of continuing education programs or courses of study approved or required under rules promulgated under s. 459.095. This paragraph does not apply to an applicant for renewal of a license that expires on the first renewal date after the date on which the examining board initially granted the license.

459.09(2) (2) A licensee shall keep a license issued under this subchapter conspicuously posted in his or her office or place of business at all times. Where more than one office is operated by the licensee, duplicate licenses shall be issued by the department for posting in each location.

459.09 History History: 1977 c. 29; 1991 a. 39; 1997 a. 49; 1999 a. 9; 2003 a. 270; 2007 a. 20.

459.095 459.095 Continuing education. The examining board shall do all of the following:

459.095(1) (1) Promulgate rules establishing the criteria for approval of continuing education programs or courses of study required for renewal of a license under s. 459.09 and for approval of the sponsors and cosponsors of continuing education programs or courses of study.

459.095(2) (2) Approve continuing education programs and courses of study in accordance with the criteria established under sub. (1).

459.095(3) (3) In consultation with the department, promulgate rules that require each person issued a license under this subchapter to whom s. 459.09 (1) (b) applies to complete a specified continuing education program or course of study to ensure competence with respect to a matter related to the practice of ordering, fitting, and dealing in hearing aids if the examining board has received a significant number of consumer complaints about the matter or if the examining board otherwise determines that there is a need for such a requirement. Rules promulgated under this subsection shall establish criteria for the examining board’s approval of the continuing education program or course of study and of sponsors and cosponsors of the continuing education program or course of study. The rules shall also require the examining board to administer, prior to the continuing education program or course of study, an examination on the matter that is the subject of the continuing education program or course of study and to waive a requirement to complete the continuing education program or course of study if a person granted a license under this subchapter passes the examination. A person who takes an examination specified in this subsection shall pay the fee specified in s. 440.05 (1) (b).

459.095 History History: 1997 a. 49; 2003 a. 270; 2023 a. 179.

459.095 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. HAS 8, Wis. adm. code.

459.10 459.10 Disciplinary grounds.

459.10(1) (1) Subject to subch. II of ch. 111 and the rules adopted under s. 440.03 (1), the examining board may reprimand the licensee or permit holder or revoke, suspend, limit or deny the trainee permit, license, or certificate to engage in cerumen management under s. 459.115, or any combination thereof, of any person who has done any of the following:

459.10(1)(a) (a) Made any false statement or given any false information in connection with an application for a license or trainee permit or for renewal or reinstatement of a license or trainee permit.

459.10(1)(b) (b) Been issued a license or trainee permit through error.

459.10(1)(c) (c) Been adjudicated mentally incompetent by a court.

459.10(1)(d) (d) Been found guilty of an offense the circumstances of which substantially relate to the practice of ordering, fitting, and dealing in hearing aids.

459.10(1)(e) (e) Violated this subchapter or ch. 440 or any federal or state statute or rule which relates to the practice of ordering, fitting, and dealing in hearing aids.

459.10(1)(f) (f) Practiced as a hearing instrument specialist while the person’s ability to practice was impaired by alcohol or other drugs or physical or mental disability or disease.

459.10(1)(g) (g) Engaged in deceptive advertising.

459.10(1)(h) (h) Made a substantial misrepresentation in the course of practice which was relied upon by a client or patient.

459.10(1)(i) (i) Failed to conduct a direct observation of the ear canal of a person for whom a hearing aid is purchased.

459.10(1)(j) (j) Engaged in conduct which evidenced a lack of knowledge or ability to apply principles or skills of the practice of ordering, fitting, and dealing in hearing aids.

459.10(1)(k) (k) Engaged in unprofessional conduct. In this subsection, “unprofessional conduct” means the violation of any standard of professional behavior which through experience, state statute, or administrative rule has become established in the practice of ordering, fitting, and dealing in hearing aids.

459.10(1)(L) (L) Obtained or attempted to obtain compensation by fraud or deceit.

459.10(1)(m) (m) Violated any order of the examining board.

459.10(1)(n) (n) Knowingly employed directly or indirectly, to perform any work regulated under this subchapter, any person not licensed or not holding a trainee permit under this subchapter, or whose license or trainee permit has been suspended or revoked.

459.10(1)(o) (o) Permitted another person to use his or her license or trainee permit.

459.10(1)(p) (p) Sold a hearing aid for use by a person who was not given tests by a hearing instrument specialist or an audiologist licensed under this chapter or in another state using appropriate procedures and instrumentation or without proper measurement of the functional intensity and range of the person’s hearing.

459.10(1)(q) (q) Intentionally or negligently misrepresented the cause of a hearing impairment or the cure of a hearing impairment by the use of a hearing aid.

459.10(1)(r) (r) Made an intentional or negligent misrepresentation regarding a hearing aid or services.

459.10(2) (2) 

459.10(2)(a) (a) An individual whose license or trainee permit is limited by the examining board under this subchapter may continue to practice under the license or permit if the individual does all of the following:

459.10(2)(a)1. 1. Refrains from engaging in unprofessional conduct.

459.10(2)(a)2. 2. Appears before the examining board or its officers or agents upon each request of the examining board.

459.10(2)(a)3. 3. Fully discloses to the examining board or its officers or agents the nature of the individual’s practice and conduct.

459.10(2)(a)4. 4. Fully complies with the limits placed on his or her practice and conduct by the examining board.

459.10(2)(a)5. 5. Obtains any additional training, education or supervision required by the examining board.

459.10(2)(a)6. 6. Cooperates with all reasonable requests of the examining board.

459.10(2)(b) (b) The examining board may, as a condition of removing a limitation on a license or trainee permit issued under this subchapter or of reinstating a license or trainee permit that has been suspended or revoked under this subchapter, require the license or permit holder to obtain minimum results specified by the examining board on one or more physical, mental or professional competency examinations if the examining board determines that obtaining the minimum results is related to correcting one or more of the bases upon which the limitation, suspension or revocation was imposed.

459.10(2)(c) (c) The examining board may, as a condition of reinstating a license that has been suspended under this subchapter, require the license holder to pass the examination required for initial licensure under s. 459.06.

459.10 History History: 1983 a. 229; 1989 a. 316; 1997 a. 191; 2003 a. 270; 2009 a. 356; 2023 a. 82, 179.

459.10 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. HAS 5, Wis. adm. code.

459.105 459.105 Injunction. If it appears upon complaint to the examining board by any person or is known to the examining board that any person is practicing as a hearing instrument specialist without a license or trainee permit, the examining board, the attorney general or the district attorney of the proper county may investigate and may, in addition to any other remedies, bring an action in the name and on behalf of this state against the person to enjoin the person from practice.

459.105 History History: 1983 a. 229; 1989 a. 316.

459.11 459.11 Testing equipment. The examining board may, in addition to any other powers granted, purchase and maintain or rent audiometric equipment and facilities necessary to carry out the examination of applicants for licenses.

459.115 459.115 Cerumen management.

459.115(1) (1) The examining board shall issue a certificate to engage in cerumen management to a person licensed under this subchapter who completes a course on cerumen management identified by the department under sub. (3).

459.115(2) (2) No person licensed under this subchapter may engage in cerumen management unless he or she holds a valid certificate issued under sub. (1).

459.115(3) (3) The examining board shall identify cerumen management courses for which completion qualifies a person licensed under this subchapter for a certificate under sub. (1). In identifying cerumen management courses, the examining board shall select cerumen management courses that consist of at least 6 hours of instruction in removing cerumen from an ear canal using a variety of safe techniques and that includes a final examination on proper cerumen management procedures.

459.115(4) (4) The examining board shall promulgate rules necessary to administer this section, including rules for all of the following:

459.115(4)(a) (a) Defining the scope of cerumen management.

459.115(4)(b) (b) Establishing contraindications for which a person licensed under this subchapter shall refer a patient to an otolaryngologist or a physician for cerumen management.

459.115(4)(c) (c) Establishing proper infection control practices.

459.115(5) (5) A certificate issued under this section is permanent unless revoked and is not subject to periodic renewal.

459.115(6) (6) Every person licensed under this subchapter who is certified to engage in cerumen management shall annually submit to the examining board evidence satisfactory to the examining board that he or she has in effect malpractice liability coverage in the minimum amounts required by the examining board by rule.

459.115 History History: 2023 a. 82.

459.12 459.12 Rules.

459.12(1) (1) The examining board may make rules not inconsistent with the laws of this state which are necessary to carry out the intent of this chapter.

459.12(2) (2) The examining board shall promulgate rules establishing the frequency of the calibrations, the standards for the calibrations and the standards for the certifications required by s. 459.085.

459.12(3) (3) The examining board shall by rule prescribe the number of trainees a licensee may supervise under s. 459.07.

459.12 History History: 1989 a. 316; 1995 a. 170; 2011 a. 146.

459.12 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also HAS, Wis. adm. code.

459.13 459.13 Penalty. Any person violating this subchapter or any rule promulgated under this subchapter shall forfeit not more than $500.

459.13 History History: 1989 a. 316.

459.14 459.14 Exemptions.

459.14(1) (1) This subchapter does not apply to a physician licensed by the medical examining board.

459.14(2) (2) This subchapter does not apply to a person engaged in the practice of measuring human hearing for selecting hearing aids or any other purpose if the person or the organization employing such person does not sell hearing aids or hearing accessories.

459.14 History History: 1989 a. 316.

subch. II of ch. 459 SUBCHAPTER II

LICENSURE OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS AND AUDIOLOGISTS

459.20 459.20 Definitions. In this subchapter:

459.20(1) (1) “Audiologist” means an individual engaged in the practice of audiology.

459.20(2) (2) “Audiology” means all of the following:

459.20(2)(a) (a) Applying principles, methods or procedures of prevention, identification, evaluation, consultation, intervention, instruction or research related to hearing, vestibular function, or any abnormal condition related to tinnitus, auditory sensitivity, acuity, function or processing, speech, language or other aberrant behavior resulting from hearing loss.

459.20(2)(b) (b) Engaging in the practice of ordering, fitting, and dealing in hearing aids.

459.20(2k) (2k) “Compact” means the audiology and speech-language pathology interstate compact.

459.20(2m) (2m) “Compact privilege” means a compact privilege, as defined in s. 459.70 (2) (h), that is granted under the audiology and speech-language pathology interstate compact under s. 459.70 to an individual to practice in this state.

459.20(3) (3) “Examining board” means the hearing and speech examining board.

459.20(3g) (3g) “Hearing aid” means any wearable or implantable instrument or device designed for or offered for the purpose of aiding or compensating for impaired human hearing and any parts, attachments or accessories of such an instrument or device, except batteries and cords.

459.20(3m) (3m) “Licensee” means an individual licensed under this subchapter.

459.20(3p) (3p) “Practice of ordering, fitting, and dealing in hearing aids” means the measurement of human hearing by means of an audiometer or by any other means accepted by the examining board for the purpose of ordering the use of hearing aids or making selections, adaptations, or sales of hearing aids intended to compensate for impaired hearing. This term also includes making impressions for ear molds.