State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers, Speech-Language Pathologists, and Music Therapists - Authority to Issue Limited Licenses to Practice Music Therapy

HB 7 authorizes Maryland's State Board of Examiners to issue limited licenses for music therapists who are completing full licensing requirements but lack sufficient clinical experience. This directly affects new music therapists and healthcare facilities needing to hire them under supervision while they fulfill certification steps. The bill creates a 1-year limited license (renewable once) requiring direct supervision by a fully licensed music therapist, with a 2-year deadline to obtain full licensure. It explicitly states limited licenses cannot replace services from audiologists or speech-language pathologists. The policy change streamlines entry into the profession without altering existing practice standards for music therapy.