(a) Notwithstanding § 17-84-101 et seq. or any other law to the contrary, a person who is licensed by the Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology under § 17-100-301 et seq. as an audiologist in this state shall not be required to be licensed by the Arkansas Board of Hearing Instrument Dispensers.
(b) The Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology shall promulgate rules governing the dispensing of hearing aids by audiologists licensed by the Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, provided that such rules shall be no less stringent than the rules adopted by the Arkansas Board of Hearing Instrument Dispensers for the dispensing of hearing aids.