State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

   [ Search ]   [ PDF text ]   [ Legislation ]   
[ Home ]   [ Back ]   [ Bottom ]


[ Engrossed ][ Enrolled ][ Senate Amendment 001 ]
[ Senate Amendment 002 ]


92_SB2223

 
                                               LRB9213174ACcd

 1        AN ACT concerning the practice of nursing.

 2        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section 5.  The Nursing and Advanced Practice Nursing Act
 5    is amended by changing Section 10-30 as follows:

 6        (225 ILCS 65/10-30)
 7        (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2008)
 8        Sec. 10-30. Qualifications for licensure.
 9        (a)  Each    applicant   who   successfully   meets   the
10    requirements of this Section shall be entitled  to  licensure
11    as  a Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse, whichever
12    is applicable.
13        (b)  An  applicant  for  licensure  by   examination   to
14    practice  as  a  registered nurse or licensed practical nurse
15    shall:
16             (1)  submit  a  completed  written  application,  on
17        forms provided by the Department and fees as  established
18        by the Department;
19             (2)  for  registered nurse licensure, have graduated
20        from  a  completed  an  approved   professional   nursing
21        education  program approved by the Department of not less
22        than  2  academic  years  and  have  graduated  from  the
23        program;
24             (2.5)  for licensed practical nurse licensure,  have
25        graduate  from  a completed an approved practical nursing
26        education program approved by the Department of not  less
27        than  one  academic  year  and  have  graduated  from the
28        program;
29             (3)  have not violated  the  provisions  of  Section
30        10-45   of  this  Act.   The  Department  may  take  into
31        consideration any felony conviction of the applicant, but
 
                            -2-                LRB9213174ACcd
 1        such a conviction shall not operate as an absolute bar to
 2        licensure;
 3             (4)  meet all other requirements as  established  by
 4        rule;
 5             (5)  pay, either to the Department or its designated
 6        testing service, a fee covering the cost of providing the
 7        examination. Failure to appear for the examination on the
 8        scheduled  date at the time and place specified after the
 9        applicant's application for examination has been received
10        and acknowledged by  the  Department  or  the  designated
11        testing  service  shall  result  in the forfeiture of the
12        examination fee.
13        If an applicant neglects, fails, or refuses  to  take  an
14    examination  or  fails  to  pass an examination for a license
15    under this Act within 3 years after filing  the  application,
16    the  application shall be denied.  However, the applicant may
17    make a new application accompanied by the  required  fee  and
18    provide  evidence of meeting the requirements in force at the
19    time of the new application.
20        An  applicant  may  take  and  successfully  complete   a
21    Department-approved   examination  in  another  jurisdiction.
22    However, an applicant who has never been licensed  previously
23    in  any  jurisdiction  that  utilizes  a  Department-approved
24    examination  and  who  has  taken  and  failed  to  pass  the
25    examination  within 3 years after filing the application must
26    submit    proof    of    successful    completion    of     a
27    Department-authorized    nursing    education    program   or
28    recompletion of an approved  registered  nursing  program  or
29    licensed  practical nursing program, as appropriate, prior to
30    re-application.
31        An applicant  shall  have  one  year  from  the  date  of
32    notification  of  successful completion of the examination to
33    apply to the Department for a license.  If an applicant fails
34    to apply within one year, the applicant shall be required  to
 
                            -3-                LRB9213174ACcd
 1    again  take  and  pass  the  examination  unless  licensed in
 2    another jurisdiction of the United States within one year  of
 3    passing the examination.
 4        (c)  An  applicant  for licensure by endorsement who is a
 5    registered professional nurse or a licensed  practical  nurse
 6    licensed  by  examination  under the laws of another state or
 7    territory  of  the  United  States  or  a  foreign   country,
 8    jurisdiction, territory, or province shall:
 9             (1)  submit  a  completed  written  application,  on
10        forms supplied by the Department, and fees as established
11        by the Department;
12             (2)  for  registered nurse licensure, have graduated
13        from  a  completed  an  approved   professional   nursing
14        education  program approved by the Department of not less
15        than  2  academic  years  and  have  graduated  from  the
16        program;
17             (2.5)  for licensed practical nurse licensure,  have
18        graduated  from a completed an approved practical nursing
19        education program approved by the Department of not  less
20        than  one  academic  year  and  have  graduated  from the
21        program;
22             (3)  submit   verification   of   licensure   status
23        directly  from  the   United   States   jurisdiction   of
24        licensure, if applicable, as defined by rule;
25             (4)  have  passed  the examination authorized by the
26        Department;
27             (5)  meet all other requirements as  established  by
28        rule.
29        (d)  All   applicants   for  registered  nurse  licensure
30    pursuant to item (2)  of  subsection  (b)  and  item  (2)  of
31    subsection  (c)  of this Section who are graduates of nursing
32    educational programs in  a  country  other  than  the  United
33    States  or  its  territories  must  submit  to the Department
34    certification of successful completion of the  Commission  of
 
                            -4-                LRB9213174ACcd
 1    Graduates  of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) examination. An
 2    applicant, who is unable to provide appropriate documentation
 3    to satisfy CGFNS of her or his educational qualifications for
 4    the  CGFNS  examination,  shall  be  required  to   pass   an
 5    examination to test competency in the English language, which
 6    shall  be  prescribed  by the Department, if the applicant is
 7    determined by the  Board  to  be  educationally  prepared  in
 8    nursing.   The  Board shall make appropriate inquiry into the
 9    reasons for any adverse determination by CGFNS before  making
10    its own decision.
11        An  applicant  licensed in another state or territory who
12    is applying  for  licensure  and  has  received  her  or  his
13    education  in  a  country other than the United States or its
14    territories shall  be  exempt  from  the  completion  of  the
15    Commission  of  Graduates  of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS)
16    examination if the  applicant  meets  all  of  the  following
17    requirements:
18             (1)  successful passage of the licensure examination
19        authorized by the Department;
20             (2)  holds   an   active,  unencumbered  license  in
21        another state; and
22             (3)  has been actively practicing for a minimum of 2
23        years in another state.
24        (e)  (Blank).
25        (f)  Pending the issuance of a license  under  subsection
26    (c)  (b)  of  this  Section,  the  Department  may  grant  an
27    applicant  a  temporary  license  to  practice  nursing  as a
28    registered nurse or as a  licensed  practical  nurse  if  the
29    Department  is  satisfied that the applicant holds an active,
30    unencumbered   license   in   good   standing   in    another
31    jurisdiction.   If  the applicant holds more than one current
32    active license, or one or more active temporary licenses from
33    other  jurisdictions,  the  Department  shall  not  issue   a
34    temporary  license  until  it  is satisfied that each current
 
                            -5-                LRB9213174ACcd
 1    active license held by the applicant  is  unencumbered.   The
 2    temporary  license,  which  shall  be issued no later than 14
 3    working days  following  receipt  by  the  Department  of  an
 4    application  for the temporary license, shall be granted upon
 5    the submission of the following to the Department:
 6             (1)  a  signed   and   completed   application   for
 7        licensure  under  subsection  (a)  of  this  Section as a
 8        registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse;
 9             (2)  proof of a current, active license in at  least
10        one other jurisdiction and proof that each current active
11        license or temporary license held by the applicant within
12        the last 5 years is unencumbered;
13             (3)  a   signed  and  completed  application  for  a
14        temporary license; and
15             (4)  the required temporary license permit fee.
16        (g)  The Department may refuse to issue  an  applicant  a
17    temporary  license  authorized  pursuant  to this Section if,
18    within  14  working  days  following  its   receipt   of   an
19    application   for   a   temporary   license,  the  Department
20    determines that:
21             (1)  the applicant has been  convicted  of  a  crime
22        under  the  laws  of a jurisdiction of the United States:
23        (i) which is a felony; or (ii)  which  is  a  misdemeanor
24        directly  related  to  the  practice  of  the profession,
25        within the last 5 years;
26             (2)  within the last 5 years the applicant has had a
27        license or permit related  to  the  practice  of  nursing
28        revoked,  suspended,  or  placed  on probation by another
29        jurisdiction,  if  at  least  one  of  the  grounds   for
30        revoking, suspending, or placing on probation is the same
31        or substantially equivalent to grounds in Illinois; or
32             (3)  it intends to deny licensure by endorsement.
33        For  purposes  of this Section, an "unencumbered license"
34    means a license against which no disciplinary action has been
 
                            -6-                LRB9213174ACcd
 1    taken or is pending and for which all fees  and  charges  are
 2    paid and current.
 3        (h)  The Department may revoke a temporary license issued
 4    pursuant to this Section if:
 5             (1)  it  determines  that  the  applicant  has  been
 6        convicted of a crime under the law of any jurisdiction of
 7        the  United  States  that  is  (i)  a  felony  or  (ii) a
 8        misdemeanor directly  related  to  the  practice  of  the
 9        profession, within the last 5 years;
10             (2)  it  determines that within the last 5 years the
11        applicant has had a license  or  permit  related  to  the
12        practice  of  nursing  revoked,  suspended,  or placed on
13        probation by another jurisdiction, if at least one of the
14        grounds for revoking, suspending, or placing on probation
15        is the same or substantially  equivalent  to  grounds  in
16        Illinois; or
17             (3)  it determines that it intends to deny licensure
18        by endorsement.
19        A  temporary  license  or renewed temporary license shall
20    expire (i) upon issuance of an Illinois license or (ii)  upon
21    notification that the Department intends to deny licensure by
22    endorsement.   A temporary license shall expire 6 months from
23    the date of issuance.  Further renewal may be granted by  the
24    Department  in  hardship  cases,  as defined by rule and upon
25    approval of the Director.  However, a temporary license shall
26    automatically expire upon issuance of the Illinois license or
27    upon  notification  that  the  Department  intends  to   deny
28    licensure,  whichever  occurs  first.  No extensions shall be
29    granted beyond the 6-month  period  unless  approved  by  the
30    Director.   Notification by the Department under this Section
31    shall be by certified or registered mail.
32        (i)  Applicants have 3 years from the date of application
33    to complete the application process. If the process  has  not
34    been  completed  within 3 years from the date of application,
 
                            -7-                LRB9213174ACcd
 1    the application shall be denied, the fee forfeited,  and  the
 2    applicant must reapply and meet the requirements in effect at
 3    the time of reapplication.
 4    (Source: P.A. 92-39, eff. 6-29-01.)

 5        (225 ILCS 65/10-40 rep.)
 6        Section 10. The Nursing and Advanced Practice Nursing Act
 7    is amended by repealing Section 10-40.

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

[ Top ]