CaliforniaCalifornia licensing board continues and hearing aid sales rules change
California keeps its professional licensing board through 2031, broadens some license pathways, and allows limited online hearing aid sales under stated safeguards.
What it does
California’s licensing board and its executive officer authority continue through January 1, 2031. Certain national clinical certificates continue to satisfy education and experience requirements through that date.
More communication-related master’s degrees can qualify applicants for speech-language pathology or audiology licenses. Applicants still need the required supervised training and a board-approved exam.
Licensed sellers may sell hearing aids online, by catalog, or by direct mail when they provide no fitting or related advice and keep required verification. Sellers using multiple locations generally need branch licenses.
Argument forOnline sales could give some customers more ways to buy hearing aids, while licensing and verification rules remain in place.
Argument againstOnline buyers may receive less personal help because sellers cannot provide fitting, selection, adaptation, or related advice through these sales.
More detail
The state licensing board continues operating and may appoint an executive officer through January 1, 2031. This covers California’s speech-language pathology, audiology, and hearing aid dispenser board and its executive officer. The board remains subject to the bill’s licensing and regulatory rules. The board and executive officer authority continue until January 1, 2031.
Applicants may qualify with additional speech, language, hearing, or communication-related degrees and must pass an examination approved by the board. This applies to people seeking licenses as speech-language pathologists or audiologists, including applicants covered by the separate audiologist doctorate rules. The education and supervised clinical and professional experience requirements still apply. The board may conduct the examination or designate a public or private organization to conduct it.
Licensed hearing aid sellers may sell hearing aids online, by catalog, or by direct mail, and must obtain branch office licenses for additional business locations unless a temporary-location exception applies. This covers California hearing aid dispensers, qualifying temporary licensees, and dispensing audiologists authorized to sell hearing aids. Online sellers may not provide fitting, selection, adaptation, or related advice. Online sales require a signed statement confirming the required medical or professional review. A temporary location must be limited, short-term, and not intended to happen repeatedly, with advance written notice to the board.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 14Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 234, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 14Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Aug 31Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 6 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 27Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 5988.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.Major
- Vote recorded Special Consent. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 26Ordered to special consent calendar.
- Aug 24In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
- Vote recorded SB 1368 Wahab Senate Third Reading By Berman. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 24Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 6395.) Ordered to the Senate.Passed Assembly
- Aug 17Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 17Read third time and amended.Major
- Aug 13Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 13From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (August 13).Minor
- Aug 13Assembly Rule 63 suspended.
- Aug 5August 5 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.
- Jun 30From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 25From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.Major
- Jun 17From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.Major
- Jun 1Referred to Com. on B. & P.Minor
- May 22In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.Minor
- Vote recorded Special Consent. Result: pass.Upper
- May 22Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 33. Noes 0. Page 4421.) Ordered to the Assembly.Passed Senate
- May 20Ordered to special consent calendar.
- May 14Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 4274.) (May 14).Minor
- May 8Set for hearing May 14.
- May 4May 4 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 24Set for hearing May 4.
- Apr 20From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0. Page 3954.) (April 20). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 15From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.Major
- Apr 15Set for hearing April 20.
- Mar 4Referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.Minor
- Feb 23Read first time.Minor
- Feb 23From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 23.
- Feb 20Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.Introduced
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