Public Act 098-0659
 
HB4593 EnrolledLRB098 15183 ZMM 50164 b


  
    AN ACT concerning State government.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  


 
    Section 5. The Department of Professional Regulation Law of 
the
Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended  by adding 
Section 2105-17 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 2105/2105-17 new)
    Sec. 2105-17. Volunteer licenses.
    (a) For the purposes of this Section:
    "Health care professional" means a physician licensed 
under the Medical Practice Act of 1987, a dentist licensed 
under the Illinois Dental Practice Act, an optometrist licensed 
under the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987, a physician 
assistant licensed under the Physician Assistant Practice Act 
of 1987, and a nurse or advanced practice nurse licensed under 
the Nurse Practice Act. The Department may expand this 
definition by rule.
    "Volunteer practice" means the practice of a licensed 
health care professional for the benefit of an individual or 
the public and without compensation for the health care 
services provided. 
    (b) The Department may grant a volunteer license to a 
health care professional who:
        (1) meets all requirements of the State licensing Act 
    that applies to his or her health care profession and the 
    rules adopted under the Act; and
        (2) agrees to engage in the volunteer practice of his 
    or her health care profession in a free medical clinic, as 
    defined in the Good Samaritan Act, or in a public health 
    clinic, as defined in Section 6-101 of the Local 
    Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunities 
    Act, and to not practice for compensation.
    (c) A volunteer license shall be granted in accordance with 
the licensing Act that applies to the health care 
professional's given health care profession, and the licensure 
fee shall be set by rule in accordance with subsection (f).
    (d) No health care professional shall hold a non-volunteer 
license in a health care profession and a volunteer license in 
that profession at the same time. In the event that the health 
care professional obtains a volunteer license in the profession 
for which he or she holds a non-volunteer license, that 
non-volunteer license shall automatically be placed in 
inactive status. In the event that a health care professional 
obtains a non-volunteer license in the profession for which he 
or she holds a volunteer license, the volunteer license shall 
be placed in inactive status. Practicing on an expired 
volunteer license constitutes the unlicensed practice of the 
health care professional's profession.
    (e) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to waive or 
modify any statute, rule, or regulation concerning the 
licensure or practice of any health care profession. A health 
care professional who holds a volunteer license shall be 
subject to all statutes, rules, and regulations governing his 
or her profession. The Department shall waive the licensure fee 
for the first 500 volunteer licenses issued and may by rule 
provide for a fee waiver or fee reduction that shall apply to 
all licenses issued after the initial 500.
    (f) The Department shall determine by rule the total number 
of volunteer licenses to be issued. The Department shall file 
proposed  rules implementing this Section within 6 months after 
the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General 
Assembly.
 

    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.