Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapter 246-828 WAC, Hearing and speech, the department of health (department), in consultation with the board of hearing and speech (board) is considering amending WAC 246-828-025, 246-828-290, and creating a new section(s) to implement ESB 5210 (chapter 183, Laws of 2019) addressing consumer notification. The department may also consider making technical changes or changes to improve clarity.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The department, in consultation with the board is considering amending WAC 246-828-025, 246-828-290, and creating a new section(s) to implement ESB 5210 (chapter 183, Laws of 2019) addressing consumer notification. The federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 was amended in 2010 to require assistive listening systems in places of public assembly, served by a public address system, to be hearing aid compatible. By requiring patient notification, the legislature intends to increase consumer awareness of benefits and uses of the different types of hearing instruments and their associated technologies, including compatibility with assistive listening systems. This could benefit the six hundred fifty thousand Washington state residents who have been diagnosed with hearing loss.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Brad Burnham, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, phone 360-236-2985, fax 360-236-2901, TTY 360-833-6388 or 711, email brad.burnham@doh.wa.gov, web site www.doh.wa.gov.

Additional comments: Interested parties can join the GovDelivery list to get information on participating in the process by subscribing at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOH/subscriber/new.