A. In order to practice audiology or speech pathology, it shall be necessary to hold a valid license.

B. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision 2 of § 54.1-2601, the Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology may license as school speech-language pathologists any person who holds a master's degree in speech-language pathology. The Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology shall issue licenses to such persons without examination, upon review of credentials and payment of an application fee in accordance with regulations of the Board for school speech-language pathologists.

Persons holding such licenses as school speech-language pathologists, without examination, shall practice solely in public school divisions; holding a license as a school speech-language pathologist pursuant to this section shall not authorize such persons to practice outside the school setting or in any setting other than the public schools of the Commonwealth, unless such individuals are licensed by the Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology to offer to the public the services defined in § 54.1-2600.

The Board shall issue any person licensed as a school speech-language pathologist a license that notes the limitations on practice set forth in this subsection.

Persons who hold licenses issued by the Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology without these limitations shall be exempt from the requirements of this subsection.

1979, c. 408, § 54-83.1:011; 1988, c. 765; 1999, cc. 967, 1005; 2014, c. 781.