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Lawmakers weigh temporary path for school speech aids as state develops assistant licensure
Summary
HB 744 would allow school‑employed, unlicensed speech aids to perform limited, supervised repetitive tasks while the speech pathologist board and Department of Labor finalize rules for formal assistant licensure; supporters said it addresses rural shortages, opponents warned about training, supervision and consumer protection.
Representative Melissa Nikolakakos presented House Bill 744 to allow schools to hire unlicensed "speech aids" to perform limited, supervised tasks (for example repetitive drills) under the direction of a licensed speech language pathologist while the Board of Speech Pathology and Department of Labor finalize permanent rules for assistant licensure.
Lance Melton of the Montana School Boards Association and multiple school‑based speech pathologists testified the temporary allowance would help rural…
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