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HB 4883

Occupations: hearing aid; regulation of hearing aid dealers; modify. Amends secs. 303a & 411 of 1980 PA 299 (MCL 339.303a & 339.411) & repeals art. 13 of 1980 PA 299 (MCL 339.1301 - 339.1309) & sec. 31 of 1979 PA 152 (MCL 338.2231).

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Greg Alexander and 5 co-sponsors

HB 4883 would remove state licensing and oversight for hearing aid dealers, ending licensure, fees, and disciplinary rules for dealers and salespersons.

bill electronically reproduced 09/11/2025
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Bill Summary · HB 4883

Summary — HB 4883 (Occupations: hearing aid; regulation of hearing aid dealers)

Overview / Purpose

House Bill 4883 would remove state licensing and regulatory oversight for hearing aid dealers, salespersons, and trainees by repealing Article 13 of the Michigan Occupational Code. The bill eliminates occupation‑specific licensure requirements, fee provisions, and cross‑references to licensed hearing aid dealers elsewhere in Michigan law. Related bills (HBs 4884–4886) are tie‑barred to HB 4883 and would revise tax and public health statutes to conform to the repeal.

Key provisions

  • Repeals Article 13 of the Occupational Code (MCL 339.1301–339.1309), which currently establishes qualifications, examination, licensing, board oversight, and disciplinary rules for hearing aid dealers and salespersons.
  • Repeals section 31 of the State License Fee Act that sets license fees for hearing aid dealers (MCL 338.2231).
  • Amends two general Occupational Code sections:
    • MCL 339.303a — removes hearing aid dealers from the list of boards/term start dates (removes the administrative placement of that board).
    • MCL 339.411 — updates renewal/reinstatement provisions to reflect removal of the occupation from licensure requirements.
  • Tie‑bar bills (HBs 4884–4886) would:
    • Remove the licensure requirement for hearing aid dealers/salespersons from the definition of “prescription” in the General Sales Tax Act (MCL 205.51a) and the Use Tax Act (MCL 205.92b), while preserving that hearing aid orders/instructions still qualify as “prescriptions” for tax purposes even if the dealer is not licensed.
    • Remove statutory references to licensed hearing aid dealers/salespersons in the Public Health Code (MCL 333.16807 and 333.17601), affecting cross‑statutory scope statements for audiology and speech‑language pathology.

Who is affected

  • Approximately 580 current licensees identified by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA): hearing aid dealers, salespersons, and trainees.
  • Consumers who obtain hearing aids from non‑licensed providers — regulatory protections, complaint/discipline pathways, and board oversight under Article 13 would be removed.
  • State agencies (LARA) and statutes that reference licensed hearing aid dealers (tax law, Public Health Code) — these are addressed by tie‑bar bills.
  • Audiologists and speech‑language pathologists: statutory cross‑references to Article 13 would be removed, which may alter expressed exceptions/exclusions in practice‑scope language.

Fiscal and practical impact

  • Minimal direct fiscal impact to state operations. Estimated annual reduction in license fee revenue of ~ $36,000 (based on ~580 licensees).
  • Eliminates state board oversight, licensing exams, and disciplinary enforcement specific to hearing aid dealers; potential shifts to federal, local, or private-sector standards or consumer protections are possible but not specified in the bill.

Procedural status / timeline

  • Filed: March 13, 2025 (Sponsor: Rep. Curt S. VanderWall).
  • House introduced bill text (documented Sept 11, 2025); read first time and referred to the House Committee on Health Policy. Committee consideration recorded through at least 10‑21‑2025.
  • HBs 4884–4885–4886 are tie‑barred and would take effect only if HB 4883 is enacted.

Statutory references

  • Amend: MCL 339.303a; MCL 339.411.
  • Repeal: MCL 339.1301–339.1309 (Article 13 of 1980 PA 299); MCL 338.2231 (State License Fee Act section).
  • Related tax and health code citations: MCL 205.51a; MCL 205.92b; MCL 333.16807; MCL 333.17601.

This summary is based on the bill text and the House Fiscal Agency analysis provided with the introduced version of HB 4883 and its tie‑bar bills.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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