Substitute Senate Bill 6226 creates a new section and amends RCW 18.35.161 to protect the clinical autonomy of audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and hearing aid specialists by prohibiting the relevant licensing board from adopting any rule that prevents licensed professionals from using their clinical judgment to determine whether telehealth or in-person care is the appropriate treatment modality. The act includes legislative findings recognizing telehealth and teleaudiology based on statements by federal and professional authorities and expresses intent that clinicians decide the appropriate modality of care. The amendment preserves and clarifies the board’s authority to set minimum standards and procedures for fitting and dispensing hearing instruments, adopt other implementing rules, develop and administer licensure exams, require restitution under the uniform disciplinary act (chapter 18.130 RCW), certify applicants, recommend continuing education, maintain records, and adopt standards of care (including competency, supervision, documentation, equipment calibration, consumer disclosures, safety procedures, referral and follow-up). Those standards may be established and enforced so long as they do not prohibit licensed practitioners from using clinical judgment to choose telehealth or in-person care. The bill passed the House on March 3, 2026 (Yeas 90, Nays 3) and the Senate on March 10, 2026 (Yeas 49, Nays 0). The extracted text does not name the board formally, does not include statutory definitions for terms such as telehealth, teleaudiology, or clinical judgment, and does not provide an effective date or indicate whether other sections of the bill exist beyond the new section and the amendment to RCW 18.35.161.

If enacted, the bill would preserve the ability of audiologists, speech‑language pathologists, and hearing aid specialists to decide whether to provide care by telehealth or in person, by preventing the applicable licensing board from adopting any rule that bars clinicians from using their clinical judgment about modality. At the same time the board still can set and enforce minimum standards and procedures for fitting and dispensing hearing instruments and requirements for competency, supervision, documentation, equipment calibration, consumer disclosures, referral and follow‑up, continuing education, licensure exams, certification, and restitution for violations. The groups most affected are the named clinicians and the licensing board: clinicians retain the option to offer teleaudiology but should expect to meet whatever competency and safety rules the board adopts (which could mean new or ongoing costs for training, equipment, documentation, and compliance), and they remain subject to disciplinary and restitution authority for violations. The excerpt does not name the specific board, does not give an effective date, and does not define terms like “telehealth,” “teleaudiology,” or “clinical judgment,” so some implementation details and timelines remain unclear.