SENIOR ASSEMBLY PROPOSAL NO. 13

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER LUCERO

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AP 13: PERSONAL AMPLIFIER LISTENING DEVICES.

EXISTING LAW PROVIDES FOR THE LICENSURE AND REGULATION OF HEARING AID DISPENSERS, WHO FIT OR SELL HEARING AIDS, BY THE HEARING AID DISPENSERS BUREAU. EXISTING LAW MAKES IT UNLAWFUL TO FIT OR SELL HEARING AIDS WITHOUT A LICENSE ISSUED BY THE BUREAU.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD AUTHORIZE THE SALE OF PERSONAL AMPLIFIER LISTENING DEVICES AND ENCOURAGE THE REDESIGN OF HEARING AIDS TO THE EXTENT CONSISTENT WITH FEDERAL LAW, AND ENCOURAGE MANUFACTURERS OF HEARING AIDS TO MAKE HIGH-QUALITY HEARING AIDS AVAILABLE TO CALIFORNIA CUSTOMERS AT A REASONABLE COST.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

AP 13: RELATING TO PERSONAL AMPLIFIER LISTENING DEVICES

WHEREAS, ALTHOUGH HEARING DISORDERS MAY AFFLICT ANY PERSON, SENIOR CITIZENS AND THE NEEDY CAN LEAST AFFORD MEDICAL PROCEDURES TO IMPROVE THEIR HEARING; AND

WHEREAS, MOST SENIOR CITIZENS LIVE ON A FIXED INCOME AND CANNOT AFFORD THE EXTRA COSTS OF HEARING AIDS; AND

WHEREAS, SENIORS WHO CANNOT HEAR ARE RENDERED UNABLE TO FUNCTION SOCIALLY, AND WITHOUT COMMUNICATION THEY LIVE IN A LONELY, NONPRODUCTIVE WORLD AND CANNOT BE A CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF SOCIETY. THEY DESERVE TO LIVE A BETTER LIFESTYLE THAN THIS; AND

WHEREAS, THE COST OF A HIGH-QUALITY HEARING AIDS OBTAINED THROUGH AN AUDIOLOGIST TYPICALLY EXCEEDS THE EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF $6,000; AND

WHEREAS, A PERSONAL AMPLIFIER LISTENING DEVICE, OR P.A.L.D., CAN BE A TEMPORARY REMEDY FOR HEARING IMPAIRMENTS, AT A REASONABLE COST; AND

WHEREAS, BECAUSE THE ELECTRONICS IN A HIGH-QUALITY HOME ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM, WITH THE ABILITY TO RECEIVE AND AMPLIFY AUDIO FREQUENCIES AND REPRODUCE DISTORTION-FREE SOUND AT ALL FREQUENCIES AND LEVELS, ARE MORE SOPHISTICATED THAN THE ELECTRONICS IN A HEARING AID, AND COST SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN A TYPICAL HEARING AID THAT IS SOLD THROUGH AN AUDIOLOGIST, IT SEEMS UNREASONABLE TO REQUIRE SOMEONE TO ENDURE THE SUFFERING CAUSED BY A HEARING LOSS WHILE HE OR SHE GATHERS SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO VISIT AN AUDIOLOGIST; AND

WHEREAS, THE MANUFACTURING COST OF HIGH-QUALITY INTEGRATED CIRCUITS FOR CURRENT HEARING AIDS IS LESS THAN $12.50; AND

WHEREAS, A HIGH-QUALITY PERSONAL AMPLIFIER LISTENING DEVICE COULD BE CONSIDERED A TEMPORARY FIX THAT WOULD GIVE HEARING AID CORPORATIONS AN INCENTIVE TO DEVELOP QUALITY SELF-FITTING HEARING AIDS WITH REPLACEABLE BATTERIES THAT SELL NOT FOR $2,500 PER EAR, BUT FOR APPROXIMATELY $150 PER EAR; AND

WHEREAS, HEARING AID MANUFACTURERS HAVE STATED THAT THE MOST EXPENSIVE HEARING AID CAN BE SOLD FOR BETWEEN $100 AND $300 TO MAKE A PROFIT, AND THE AVAILABILITY OF P.A.L.D.S WOULD GIVE MANUFACTURERS THE INCENTIVE NEEDED TO MAKE NECESSARY REDESIGNS IN SALES AND SERVICES; AND

WHEREAS, HEARING AID MANUFACTURERS HAVE STATED, AND ARE WILLING TO TESTIFY, THAT P.A.L.D.S ARE SAFE FOR THE CUSTOMER; AND

WHEREAS, CALIFORNIA SENIOR LEGISLATURE MEMBERS HAVE VOTED THE PERSONAL AMPLIFIER LISTENING DEVICE PROPOSAL IN THE TOP 10 EVERY TIME IT IS PRESENTED; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY AND THE SENIOR SENATE, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2011 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT SALES OF PERSONAL AMPLIFIER LISTENING DEVICES BE AUTHORIZED AND THAT REDESIGN OF HEARING AIDS BE ENCOURAGED, CONSISTENT WITH FEDERAL LAW; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT MANUFACTURERS OF PERSONAL AMPLIFIER LISTENING DEVICES BE ALLOWED TO SELL QUALITY P.A.L.D.S UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT HEARING AID MANUFACTURERS DEVELOP HEARING AIDS AND SERVICES WITH COSTS THAT ARE COMMENSURATE WITH THE COSTS OF P.A.L.D.S; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT EACH HEARING AID MANUFACTURER OFFERING HEARING AIDS IN CALIFORNIA BE ENCOURAGED TO PRODUCE HIGH-QUALITY HEARING AIDS AVAILABLE AT A REASONABLE COST TO CALIFORNIA CUSTOMERS; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

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RN 11 18172