Public Act 0686 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
 

 
Public Act 103-0686
 
HB5047 EnrolledLRB103 37251 RTM 67371 b

    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Nurse Practice Act is amended by changing 
Sections 50-10, 55-10, 60-10, and 65-10 as follows:
 
    (225 ILCS 65/50-10)  (was 225 ILCS 65/5-10)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2028)
    Sec. 50-10. Definitions. Each of the following terms, when 
used in this Act, shall have the meaning ascribed to it in this 
Section, except where the context clearly indicates otherwise:
    "Academic year" means the customary annual schedule of 
courses at a college, university, or approved school, 
customarily regarded as the school year as distinguished from 
the calendar year.
    "Address of record" means the designated address recorded 
by the Department in the applicant's or licensee's application 
file or license file as maintained by the Department's 
licensure maintenance unit.
    "Advanced practice registered nurse" or "APRN" means a 
person who has met the qualifications for a (i) certified 
nurse midwife (CNM); (ii) certified nurse practitioner (CNP); 
(iii) certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA); or (iv) 
clinical nurse specialist (CNS) and has been licensed by the 
Department. All advanced practice registered nurses licensed 
and practicing in the State of Illinois shall use the title 
APRN and may use specialty credentials CNM, CNP, CRNA, or CNS 
after their name. All advanced practice registered nurses may 
only practice in accordance with national certification and 
this Act. 
    "Advisory Board" means the Illinois Nursing Workforce 
Center Advisory Board.
    "Approved program of professional nursing education" and 
"approved program of practical nursing education" are programs 
of professional or practical nursing, respectively, approved 
by the Department under the provisions of this Act.
    "Board" means the Board of Nursing appointed by the 
Secretary.
    "Center" means the Illinois Nursing Workforce Center.
    "Collaboration" means a process involving 2 or more health 
care professionals working together, each contributing one's 
respective area of expertise to provide more comprehensive 
patient care.
    "Competence" means an expected and measurable level of 
performance that integrates knowledge, skills, abilities, and 
judgment based on established scientific knowledge and 
expectations for nursing practice. 
    "Comprehensive nursing assessment" means the gathering of 
information about the patient's physiological, psychological, 
sociological, and spiritual status on an ongoing basis by a 
registered professional nurse and is the first step in 
implementing and guiding the nursing plan of care. 
    "Consultation" means the process whereby an advanced 
practice registered nurse seeks the advice or opinion of 
another health care professional.
    "Credentialed" means the process of assessing and 
validating the qualifications of a health care professional.
    "Dentist" means a person licensed to practice dentistry 
under the Illinois Dental Practice Act.
    "Department" means the Department of Financial and 
Professional Regulation.
    "Email address of record" means the designated email 
address recorded by the Department in the applicant's 
application file or the licensee's license file, as maintained 
by the Department's licensure maintenance unit.
    "Focused nursing assessment" means an appraisal of an 
individual's status and current situation, contributing to the 
comprehensive nursing assessment performed by the registered 
professional nurse or advanced practice registered nurse or 
the assessment by the physician assistant, physician, dentist, 
podiatric physician, or other licensed health care 
professional, as determined by the Department, supporting 
ongoing data collection, and deciding who needs to be informed 
of the information and when to inform. 
    "Full practice authority" means the authority of an 
advanced practice registered nurse licensed in Illinois and 
certified as a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, 
or nurse midwife to practice without a written collaborative 
agreement and: 
        (1) to be fully accountable to patients for the 
    quality of advanced nursing care rendered; 
        (2) to be fully accountable for recognizing limits of 
    knowledge and experience and for planning for the 
    management of situations beyond the advanced practice 
    registered nurse's expertise; the full practice authority 
    for advanced practice registered nurses includes accepting 
    referrals from, consulting with, collaborating with, or 
    referring to other health care professionals as warranted 
    by the needs of the patient; and 
        (3) to possess the authority to prescribe medications, 
    including Schedule II through V controlled substances, as 
    provided in Section 65-43. 
    "Full practice authority-pending advanced practice 
registered nurse" means an advanced practice registered nurse 
licensed in Illinois and certified as a nurse practitioner, 
clinical nurse specialist, or nurse midwife who has provided a 
notarized attestation of completion of at least 250 hours of 
continuing education or training in the advanced practice 
registered nurse's area of certification and at least 4,000 
hours of clinical experience after first attaining national 
certification and who has submitted an application to the 
Department to be granted full practice authority. 
    "Hospital affiliate" means a corporation, partnership, 
joint venture, limited liability company, or similar 
organization, other than a hospital, that is devoted primarily 
to the provision, management, or support of health care 
services and that directly or indirectly controls, is 
controlled by, or is under common control of the hospital. For 
the purposes of this definition, "control" means having at 
least an equal or a majority ownership or membership interest. 
A hospital affiliate shall be 100% owned or controlled by any 
combination of hospitals, their parent corporations, or 
physicians licensed to practice medicine in all its branches 
in Illinois. "Hospital affiliate" does not include a health 
maintenance organization regulated under the Health 
Maintenance Organization Act. 
    "Impaired nurse" means a nurse licensed under this Act who 
is unable to practice with reasonable skill and safety because 
of a physical or mental disability as evidenced by a written 
determination or written consent based on clinical evidence, 
including loss of motor skills, abuse of drugs or alcohol, or a 
psychiatric disorder, of sufficient degree to diminish his or 
her ability to deliver competent patient care.
    "License-pending advanced practice registered nurse" means 
a registered professional nurse who has completed all 
requirements for licensure as an advanced practice registered 
nurse except the certification examination and has applied to 
take the next available certification exam and received a 
temporary permit from the Department.
    "License-pending registered nurse" means a person who has 
passed the Department-approved registered nurse licensure exam 
and has applied for a license from the Department. A 
license-pending registered nurse shall use the title "RN lic 
pend" on all documentation related to nursing practice.
    "Nursing intervention" means any treatment based on 
clinical nursing judgment or knowledge that a nurse performs. 
An individual or entity shall not mandate that a registered 
professional nurse delegate nursing interventions if the 
registered professional nurse determines it is inappropriate 
to do so. A nurse shall not be subject to disciplinary or any 
other adverse action for refusing to delegate a nursing 
intervention based on patient safety. 
    "Physician" means a person licensed to practice medicine 
in all its branches under the Medical Practice Act of 1987.
    "Podiatric physician" means a person licensed to practice 
podiatry under the Podiatric Medical Practice Act of 1987. 
    "Practical nurse" or "licensed practical nurse" means a 
person who is licensed as a practical nurse under this Act and 
practices practical nursing as defined in this Act. Only a 
practical nurse licensed under this Act is entitled to use the 
title "licensed practical nurse" and the abbreviation 
"L.P.N.".
    "Practical nursing" means the performance of nursing 
interventions requiring the nursing knowledge, judgment, and 
skill acquired by means of completion of an approved practical 
nursing education program. Practical nursing includes 
assisting in the nursing process under the guidance of a 
registered professional nurse or an advanced practice 
registered nurse. The practical nurse may work under the 
direction of a licensed physician, dentist, podiatric 
physician, or other health care professional determined by the 
Department.
    "Privileged" means the authorization granted by the 
governing body of a healthcare facility, agency, or 
organization to provide specific patient care services within 
well-defined limits, based on qualifications reviewed in the 
credentialing process. 
    "Registered Nurse" or "Registered Professional Nurse" 
means a person who is licensed as a professional nurse under 
this Act and practices nursing as defined in this Act. Only a 
registered nurse licensed under this Act is entitled to use 
the titles "registered nurse" and "registered professional 
nurse" and the abbreviation, "R.N.".
    "Registered professional nursing practice" means a 
scientific process founded on a professional body of knowledge 
that includes, but is not limited to, the protection, 
promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, 
prevention of illness and injury, development and 
implementation of the nursing plan of care, facilitation of 
nursing interventions to alleviate suffering, care 
coordination, and advocacy in the care of individuals, 
families, groups, communities, and populations. "Registered 
professional nursing practice" does not include the act of 
medical diagnosis or prescription of medical therapeutic or 
corrective measures.
    "Professional assistance program for nurses" means a 
professional assistance program that meets criteria 
established by the Board of Nursing and approved by the 
Secretary, which provides a non-disciplinary treatment 
approach for nurses licensed under this Act whose ability to 
practice is compromised by alcohol or chemical substance 
addiction.
    "Secretary" means the Secretary of Financial and 
Professional Regulation.
    "Unencumbered license" means a license issued in good 
standing.
    "Written collaborative agreement" means a written 
agreement between an advanced practice registered nurse and a 
collaborating physician, dentist, or podiatric physician 
pursuant to Section 65-35. 
(Source: P.A. 103-154, eff. 6-30-23.)
 
    (225 ILCS 65/55-10)  (was 225 ILCS 65/10-30)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2028)
    Sec. 55-10. LPN licensure by examination. 
    (a) Each applicant who successfully meets the requirements 
of this Section is eligible for licensure as a licensed 
practical nurse.
    (b) An applicant for licensure by examination to practice 
as a practical nurse is eligible for licensure when the 
following requirements are met:
        (1) the applicant has submitted a completed written 
    application on forms provided by the Department and fees 
    as established by the Department;
        (2) the applicant has graduated from a practical 
    nursing education program approved by the Department or 
    has been granted a certificate of completion of 
    pre-licensure requirements from another United States 
    jurisdiction;
        (3) the applicant has successfully completed a 
    licensure examination approved by the Department;
        (4) (blank);
        (5) the applicant has submitted to the criminal 
    history records check required under Section 50-35 of this 
    Act; 
        (6) the applicant has submitted either to the 
    Department or its designated testing service, a fee 
    covering the cost of providing the examination. Failure to 
    appear for the examination on the scheduled date at the 
    time and place specified after the applicant's application 
    for examination has been received and acknowledged by the 
    Department or the designated testing service shall result 
    in the forfeiture of the examination fee; and
        (7) the applicant has met all other requirements 
    established by rule.
    (b-5) If an applicant for licensure by examination 
neglects, fails, or refuses to take an examination or fails to 
pass an examination for a license under this Act within 3 years 
of the date of initial application, the application shall be 
denied. When an applicant's application is denied due to the 
failure to pass the examination within the 3-year period, that 
applicant must undertake an additional course of education as 
defined by rule prior to submitting a new application for 
licensure. Any new application must be accompanied by the 
required fee, evidence of meeting the requirements in force at 
the time of the new application, and evidence of completion of 
the additional course of education prescribed by rule.
    An applicant may take and successfully complete a 
Department-approved examination in another jurisdiction. 
However, an applicant who has never been licensed previously 
in any jurisdiction that utilizes a Department-approved 
examination and who has taken and failed to pass the 
examination within 3 years after filing the application must 
submit proof of successful completion of a 
Department-authorized nursing education program or 
recompletion of an approved licensed practical nursing program 
prior to re-application.
    (c) An applicant for licensure by examination shall have 
one year from the date of notification of successful 
completion of the examination to apply to the Department for a 
license. If an applicant fails to apply within one year, the 
applicant shall be required to retake and pass the examination 
unless licensed in another jurisdiction of the United States.
    (d) A licensed practical nurse applicant who passes the 
Department-approved licensure examination and has applied to 
the Department for licensure may obtain employment as a 
license-pending practical nurse and practice as delegated by a 
registered professional nurse or an advanced practice 
registered nurse or physician. An individual may be employed 
as a license-pending practical nurse if all of the following 
criteria are met:
        (1) He or she has completed and passed the 
    Department-approved licensure exam and presents to the 
    employer the official written notification indicating 
    successful passage of the licensure examination.
        (2) He or she has completed and submitted to the 
    Department an application for licensure under this Section 
    as a practical nurse.
        (3) He or she has submitted the required licensure 
    fee.
        (4) He or she has met all other requirements 
    established by rule, including having submitted to a 
    criminal history records check.
    (e) The privilege to practice as a license-pending 
practical nurse shall terminate with the occurrence of any of 
the following:
        (1) Six Three months have passed since the official 
    date of passing the licensure exam as inscribed on the 
    formal written notification indicating passage of the 
    exam. This 6-month 3-month period may be extended as 
    determined by rule.
        (2) Receipt of the practical nurse license from the 
    Department.
        (3) Notification from the Department that the 
    application for licensure has been denied.
        (4) A request by the Department that the individual 
    terminate practicing as a license-pending practical nurse 
    until an official decision is made by the Department to 
    grant or deny a practical nurse license. 
    (f) (Blank).
    (g) All applicants for practical nurse licensure by 
examination who are graduates of nursing educational programs 
in a country other than the United States or its territories 
shall have their nursing education credentials evaluated by a 
Department-approved nursing credentialing evaluation service. 
No such applicant may be issued a license under this Act unless 
the applicant's program is deemed by the nursing credentialing 
evaluation service to be equivalent to a professional nursing 
education program approved by the Department. An applicant who 
has graduated from a nursing educational program outside of 
the United States or its territories and whose first language 
is not English shall submit evidence of English proficiency, 
as defined by rule. 
    (h) (Blank). 
    (i) (Blank).
    (j) (Blank).
    (k) (Blank).
    (l) (Blank).
    (m) All applicants for practical nurse licensure have 3 
years from the date of application to complete the application 
process. If the process has not been completed within 3 years 
from the date of application, the application shall be denied, 
the fee forfeited, and the applicant must reapply and meet the 
requirements in effect at the time of reapplication.
(Source: P.A. 100-513, eff. 1-1-18.)
 
    (225 ILCS 65/60-10)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2028)
    Sec. 60-10. RN licensure by examination.
    (a) Each applicant who successfully meets the requirements 
of this Section is eligible for licensure as a registered 
professional nurse.
    (b) An applicant for licensure by examination to practice 
as a registered professional nurse is eligible for licensure 
when the following requirements are met:
        (1) the applicant has submitted a completed written 
    application, on forms provided by the Department, and 
    fees, as established by the Department;
        (2) the applicant has graduated from a professional 
    nursing education program approved by the Department or 
    has been granted a certificate of completion of 
    pre-licensure requirements from another United States 
    jurisdiction;
        (3) the applicant has successfully completed a 
    licensure examination approved by the Department;
        (4) (blank);
        (5) the applicant has submitted to the criminal 
    history records check required under Section 50-35 of this 
    Act;
        (6) the applicant has submitted, either to the 
    Department or its designated testing service, a fee 
    covering the cost of providing the examination; failure to 
    appear for the examination on the scheduled date at the 
    time and place specified after the applicant's application 
    for examination has been received and acknowledged by the 
    Department or the designated testing service shall result 
    in the forfeiture of the examination fee; and
        (7) the applicant has met all other requirements 
    established by the Department by rule. 
    An applicant for licensure by examination may take the 
Department-approved examination in another jurisdiction.
    (b-3) An applicant who graduates from a professional 
nursing program in this State on or after the effective date of 
this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly and does not 
take the licensure examination within 180 days after his or 
her degree is conferred by the institution of higher education 
or fails the licensure examination for a second time shall be 
required to demonstrate proof of completion of a National 
Council Licensure Examination preparatory class or a 
comparable test preparatory program before taking a subsequent 
licensure examination or the graduate may return to the 
institution of higher education from which he or she graduated 
which shall provide remedial educational resources to the 
graduate at no cost to the graduate. Such an applicant must 
contact the institution of higher education from which he or 
she graduated prior to retesting. 
    (b-4) All professional nursing programs in probationary 
status on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 
103rd General Assembly and subject to a program revision plan 
shall be deemed in good standing for a period of 3 years 
beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 
103rd General Assembly. Prior to September 1, 2026, no 
professional nursing program shall be placed on probationary 
status for failing to reach a passage rate of less than 75%. 
    (b-5) If an applicant for licensure by examination 
neglects, fails, or refuses to take an examination or fails to 
pass an examination for a license within 3 years of the date of 
initial application, the application shall be denied. When an 
applicant's application is denied due to the failure to pass 
the examination within the 3-year period, that applicant must 
undertake an additional course of education as defined by rule 
prior to submitting a new application for licensure. Any new 
application must be accompanied by the required fee, evidence 
of meeting the requirements in force at the time of the new 
application, and evidence of completion of the additional 
course of education prescribed by rule.
    (c) An applicant for licensure by examination shall have 
one year after the date of notification of the successful 
completion of the examination to apply to the Department for a 
license. If an applicant fails to apply within one year, the 
applicant shall be required to retake and pass the examination 
unless licensed in another jurisdiction of the United States.
    (d) An applicant for licensure by examination who passes 
the Department-approved licensure examination for professional 
nursing may obtain employment as a license-pending registered 
nurse and practice under the direction of a registered 
professional nurse or an advanced practice registered nurse 
until such time as he or she receives his or her license to 
practice or until the license is denied. In no instance shall 
any such applicant practice or be employed in any management 
capacity. An individual may be employed as a license-pending 
registered nurse if all of the following criteria are met:
        (1) He or she has completed and passed the 
    Department-approved licensure exam and presents to the 
    employer the official written notification indicating 
    successful passage of the licensure examination.
        (2) He or she has completed and submitted to the 
    Department an application for licensure under this Section 
    as a registered professional nurse.
        (3) He or she has submitted the required licensure 
    fee.
        (4) He or she has met all other requirements 
    established by rule, including having submitted to a 
    criminal history records check.
    (e) The privilege to practice as a license-pending 
registered nurse shall terminate with the occurrence of any of 
the following:
        (1) Six Three months have passed since the official 
    date of passing the licensure exam as inscribed on the 
    formal written notification indicating passage of the 
    exam. The 6-month license-pending 3-month license pending 
    period may be extended if more time is needed by the 
    Department to process the licensure application.
        (2) Receipt of the registered professional nurse 
    license from the Department.
        (3) Notification from the Department that the 
    application for licensure has been refused.
        (4) A request by the Department that the individual 
    terminate practicing as a license-pending registered nurse 
    until an official decision is made by the Department to 
    grant or deny a registered professional nurse license.
    (f) (Blank).
    (g) (Blank).
    (h) (Blank).
    (i) (Blank).
    (j) (Blank).
    (k) All applicants for registered professional nurse 
licensure have 3 years after the date of application to 
complete the application process. If the process has not been 
completed within 3 years after the date of application, the 
application shall be denied, the fee forfeited, and the 
applicant must reapply and meet the requirements in effect at 
the time of reapplication.
    (l) All applicants for registered nurse licensure by 
examination who are graduates of practical nursing educational 
programs in a country other than the United States and its 
territories shall have their nursing education credentials 
evaluated by a Department-approved nursing credentialing 
evaluation service. No such applicant may be issued a license 
under this Act unless the applicant's program is deemed by the 
nursing credentialing evaluation service to be equivalent to a 
professional nursing education program approved by the 
Department. An applicant who has graduated from a nursing 
educational program outside of the United States or its 
territories and whose first language is not English shall 
submit evidence of English proficiency, as defined by rule.
    (m) (Blank).
(Source: P.A. 103-533, eff. 1-1-24.)
 
    (225 ILCS 65/65-10)  (was 225 ILCS 65/15-13)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2028)
    Sec. 65-10. APRN license-pending license pending status. 
    (a) A graduate of an advanced practice registered nursing 
program may practice in the State of Illinois in the role of 
certified clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse midwife, 
certified nurse practitioner, or certified registered nurse 
anesthetist for not longer than 6 months provided he or she 
submits all of the following:
        (1) An application for licensure as an advanced 
    practice registered nurse in Illinois and all fees 
    established by rule.
        (2) Proof of an application to take the national 
    certification examination in the specialty.
        (3) Proof of completion of a graduate advanced 
    practice education program that allows the applicant to be 
    eligible for national certification in a clinical advanced 
    practice registered nursing specialty and that allows the 
    applicant to be eligible for licensure in Illinois in the 
    area of his or her specialty.
        (4) Proof that he or she is licensed in Illinois as a 
    registered professional nurse.
    (b) License-pending License pending status shall preclude 
delegation of prescriptive authority.
    (c) A graduate practicing in accordance with this Section 
must use the title "license-pending license pending certified 
clinical nurse specialist", "license-pending license pending 
certified nurse midwife", "license-pending license pending 
certified nurse practitioner", or "license-pending license 
pending certified registered nurse anesthetist", whichever is 
applicable.
    (d) A licensed advanced practice registered nurse 
certified as a nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialist, or 
nurse practitioner who files with the Department a notarized 
attestation of completion of at least 250 hours of continuing 
education or training in the advanced practice registered 
nurse's area of certification and at least 4,000 hours of 
clinical experience after first attaining national 
certification and thus having met the requirements to be 
granted full practice authority shall be granted the authority 
to practice as a full practice authority-pending advanced 
practice registered nurse under the supervision of a full 
practice advanced practice registered nurse or a physician for 
a period of 6 months. 
(Source: P.A. 100-513, eff. 1-1-18.)