New
Mexico Register / Volume XXXVI, Issue 17 / September 9, 2025
NOTICE
OF PUBLIC RULE HEARING AND BOARD MEETING
The
New Mexico Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensing
Practice Board and the Regulation and Licensing Department will hold a rule
hearing on Friday, October 10, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Immediately following the rule hearing, the
Board will convene a regular board meeting to consider adoption of rules and
take care of regular business. The hearing
and board meeting will be held at the New Mexico Commission for the Blind in
the Conference Room, located at 2200 Yale Blvd SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106.
The
hearing and subsequent Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology and Hearing Aid
Dispensing board meeting may also be accessed virtually via Microsoft Teams.
Meeting
Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/2239948412545?p=uIxzGlrRxM2Em0RtZf
Meeting ID: 223 994 841 254 5
Passcode: ZS65BY2J
Dial in by phone
+1
505-312-4308, 137505456# United
States, Albuquerque
Phone conference ID: 137505456#
The
purpose of the rule hearing is to consider the initiation of rulemaking for the
following rules:
16.26.2
– Licensure Requirements
16.26.4
– Annual Renewal of Licenses
16.26.6
– Fees
16.26.7
– Grounds for Disciplinary Action
On
Tuesday, September 9, 2025, copies of the proposed rules may be obtained
through the New Mexico Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology and Hearing Aid
Dispensing Board website at:
https://www.rld.nm.gov/boards-and-commissions/individual-boards-and-commissions/speech-language-pathology-audiology-and-hearing-aid-dispensing-practices/statutes-rules-and-rule-hearings/,
or by contacting Ruth Romero, the Board Administrator for the Board, at speech.hearing@rld.nm.gov
or (505) 476-4622.
The New
Mexico New Mexico Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology and Hearing Aid
Dispensing Board and the Regulation and Licensing Department will begin
accepting written public comment regarding the proposed rule changes beginning
Tuesday, September 9, 2025, 8:00 a.m. and ending Friday, October 10, 2025, 9:00
a.m. Written comments may be submitted either by email to speech.hearing@rld.nm.gov
or by postal mail to the following address:
New
Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department
Attn: New
Mexico Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensing Board
P.O. Box 25101
Santa Fe, NM 87504
Written
comments received during the public comment period (September 9, 2025 – October
10, 2025) will be posted to the website page linked above. Public comment will
also be accepted during the rule hearing and may be submitted in writing or
presented orally by those attending in-person. The members of the New Mexico Speech-Language
Pathology, Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensing Board will not engage in
substantive discussion of public comments during the rule hearing but will
consider all public comments during the regular board meeting immediately following
the conclusion of the rule hearing.
The
agenda for the New Mexico Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology and Hearing Aid
Dispensing Board regular meeting which will begin immediately after the public
rule hearing, will be posted and available at least 72 hours before the meeting
on the Board website at: https://www.rld.nm.gov/boards-and-commissions/individual-boards-and-commissions/speech-language-pathology-audiology-and-hearing-aid-dispensing-practices/board-information/.
Copies of the agenda may also be obtained by contacting Ruth Romero, Board
Administrator.
For inclement weather:
If New Mexico state offices are placed on a two-hour delay due to inclement
weather, the rule hearing will be pushed back two hours from the noticed
hearing time. If New Mexico state offices are closed due to inclement weather,
the rule hearing will be rescheduled as soon as possible.
An
individual with a disability who is in need of a
reader, amplifier, qualified sign language interpreter, or other form of
auxiliary aid or service to attend or participate in the hearing, please
contact Ruth Romero, Board Administrator at (505) 476-4622 at least 7 days
prior to the rules hearing and regular board meeting. Public documents, including the proposed
rules, meeting agenda and minutes, can be provided in various accessible
formats.
Statutory
Authority:
The
rule changes are authorized by the Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology and
Hearing Aid Dispensing Practices Act, NMSA 1978, Section 61-14B-1 through 61-14B-25,
specifically authorizes the Board to adopt and file in accordance with the
State Rules Act, [Chapter 14, Article 4, 1978] rules necessary to carry out the
provision of the Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology and Hearing Aid
Dispensing Practices Act, in accordance with the provision of the Uniform
Licensing Act.
Purpose
of the Proposed Rules: The proposed rule changes are intended to
address changes to the Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology and Hearing Aid
Dispensing Practices Act, to provide greater clarity regarding Hearing Aid
Dispenser Exams, CFY Renewals, aligns rules for the Electronic Application
Process Fee for NM-Plus and clarifies lettering order for Disciplinary Action.
Summary
of Proposed Changes: The Board summarizes its proposed changes
to its administrative rules as follows:
16.26.2
NMAC – Licensure Requirements – Clarifies language for the Board Approved Hearing
Aid Dispenser exam.
16.26.4
NMAC – Annual Renewal of Licenses – Adds clarity for CFY Renewals which are not
eligible for renewal if the exam is not passed within the first year of
licensure.
16.26.6
NMAC – Fees – Adds a $10.00 Electronic Application Process Fee for initial
license and $10.00 per year fee for all renewals and will pay for the ongoing
cost of utilizing Salesforce/NM-Plus system.
16.26.7
NMAC – Grounds for Disciplinary Action corrects the lettering and numbering for
clarification of requirements.