LAC 46:LXXV.113. Criminal History Record Information

A. In addition to any other requirements established by regulation, an applicant is required, as a condition for eligibility for licensure/registration, to: 1. submit a full set of fingerprints, in a form and manner prescribed by the board; 2. permit the board to obtain state and national criminal history record information on the applicant; 3. submit the fee for state and national criminal history record information on the applicant. B. Any and all state or national criminal history record information obtained by the board from the bureau or FBI which is not already a matter of public record shall be deemed non-public and confidential information restricted to the exclusive use of the board, its members, investigators, agents, and attorneys in evaluating the applicant’s suitability and eligibility for licensure/registration. No such information or records shall, except with the written consent of the applicant or by order of a court of competent jurisdiction, be released or otherwise disclosed by the board to any other person or agency. C. An applicant who denies the existence or extent of criminal history record information on an application, which is discovered by information, records, or documentation provided by the state police, FBI, or any other state, national, or foreign jurisdiction shall, in addition to the potential disqualification of licensure for any of the causes specified in §141 of this Chapter, be deemed to have provided false, misleading, or deceptive information, or false sworn information on an application for licensure, and to have engaged in unprofessional conduct, providing additional cause for the board to suspend or revoke, refuse to issue, or impose probationary or other restrictions on any license held or applied for by an applicant in the state of Louisiana culpable of such violation, pursuant to R.S. 37:2662. §115. Licensure by Reciprocity [Formerly §111] A. The board may waive the examination for applicants who present proof of current licensure in another state with standards equivalent to those of Louisiana. §117. Additional Requirements for International Applicants/Speakers of English as a Second Language [Formerly §113] A. Any document required to be submitted to this board with an application for a license shall be in the English language, or accompanied by a certified translation thereof into the English language. B. As a condition of the board's consideration of the license application of a graduate of a foreign college or university, the applicant shall provide the board with an evaluation of the applicant's transcript from an approved credentials evaluation agency. A list of approved agencies, and their addresses, may be obtained from the board. C. The essence of the practice of audiology and speech-language pathology is communication; therefore an applicant whose primary language is not English shall: 1. submit a passing score on a nationally recognized English proficiency examination as approved by the board. The passing score must have been obtained within the past two years; 2. an English proficiency assessment may be conducted in-person by the board or its designees as a condition for licensure; 3. at the board’s discretion, the license may be conditionally granted subject to an English remediation plan and/or restrictions on practice D. The clinical observation and clinical practicum for a speech-language pathologist educated outside the United States must consist of at least 400 patient contact hours, to include: 1. at least 25 hours in supervised observation prior to the clinical practicum. Patient contact hours in excess of the required minimum may be substituted for the required 25 hours of supervised observation; 2. at least 375 patient contact hours in speech-language pathology. Practicum experiences must be: a. across the scope of practice in speech-language pathology; b. with clients across the lifespan; c. across the range of clinical severity.