Bill Text: IL HB2776 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Chaptered


Bill Title: Amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that review and determination of an application for a professional license to a service member or his or her spouse shall be expedited by the department processing the application within 30 days (instead of 60) after the date on which the department receives all necessary documentation. Includes any required information from State and federal agencies as necessary documentation. Removes language requiring that the requirements for licensure in another state in which the service member or his or her spouse is licensed be substantially equivalent to the standards for licensure of this State. Provides instead that an application for licensure by a service member or his or her spouse must include proof that the applicant meets the requirements and standards for licensure through endorsement or reciprocity for the occupation or profession for which the applicant is applying.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2021-08-16 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 102-0384 [HB2776 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-HB2776-Chaptered.html



Public Act 102-0384
HB2776 EnrolledLRB102 15165 RAM 20520 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 Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is
amended by changing Section 5-715 as follows:
(20 ILCS 5/5-715)
Sec. 5-715. Expedited licensure for service members and
spouses.
(a) In this Section, "service member" means any person
who, at the time of application under this Section, is an
active duty member of the United States Armed Forces or any
reserve component of the United States Armed Forces, the Coast
Guard, or the National Guard of any state, commonwealth, or
territory of the United States or the District of Columbia or
whose active duty service concluded within the preceding 2
years before application.
(a-5) The Department of Financial and Professional
Regulation shall within 180 days after January 1, 2020 (the
effective date of Public Act 101-240) the effective date of
this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly designate
one staff member as the military liaison within the Department
of Financial and Professional Regulation to ensure proper
enactment of the requirements of this Section. The military
liaison's responsibilities shall also include, but are not
limited to: (1) the management of all expedited applications
to ensure processing within 30 60 days after receipt of a
completed application; (2) coordination with all military
installation military and family support center directors
within this State, including virtual, phone, or in-person
periodic meetings with each military installation military and
family support center; and (3) training by the military
liaison to all directors of each division that issues an
occupational or professional license to ensure proper
application of this Section. At Beginning in 2020, and at the
end of each calendar year thereafter, the military liaison
shall provide an annual report documenting the expedited
licensure program for service members and spouses, and shall
deliver that report to the Secretary of Financial and
Professional Regulation and the Lieutenant Governor.
(b) Each director of a department that issues an
occupational or professional license is authorized to and
shall issue an expedited license to a service member who meets
the requirements under this Section. Review and determination
of an application for a license issued by the department shall
be expedited by the department within 30 60 days after the date
on which the applicant provides the department receives with
all necessary documentation required for licensure, including
any required information from State and federal agencies. An
expedited license shall be issued by the department to any
service members meeting the application requirements of this
Section, regardless of whether the service member currently
resides in this State. The service member shall apply to the
department on forms provided by the department. An application
must include proof that:
(1) the applicant is a service member;
(2) the applicant holds a valid license in good
standing for the occupation or profession issued by
another state, commonwealth, possession, or territory of
the United States, the District of Columbia, or any
foreign jurisdiction and the requirements for licensure in
the other jurisdiction are determined by the department to
be substantially equivalent to the standards for licensure
of this State;
(2.5) the applicant meets the requirements and
standards for licensure through endorsement or reciprocity
for the occupation or profession for which the applicant
is applying;
(3) the applicant is assigned to a duty station in
this State, has established legal residence in this State,
or will reside in this State within 6 months after the date
of application for licensure;
(4) a complete set of the applicant's fingerprints has
been submitted to the Department of State Police for
statewide and national criminal history checks, if
applicable to the requirements of the department issuing
the license; the applicant shall pay the fee to the
Department of State Police or to the fingerprint vendor
for electronic fingerprint processing; no temporary
occupational or professional license shall be issued to an
applicant if the statewide or national criminal history
check discloses information that would cause the denial of
an application for licensure under any applicable
occupational or professional licensing Act;
(5) the applicant is not ineligible for licensure
pursuant to Section 2105-165 of the Civil Administrative
Code of Illinois;
(6) the applicant has submitted an application for
full licensure; and
(7) the applicant has paid the required fee; fees
shall not be refundable.
(c) Each director of a department that issues an
occupational or professional license is authorized to and
shall issue an expedited license to the spouse of a service
member who meets the requirements under this Section. Review
and determination of an application for a license shall be
expedited by the department within 30 60 days after the date on
which the applicant provides the department receives with all
necessary documentation required for licensure, including
information from State and federal agencies. An expedited
license shall be issued by the department to any spouse of a
service member meeting the application requirements of this
Section, regardless of whether the spouse or the service
member currently reside in this State. The spouse of a service
member shall apply to the department on forms provided by the
department. An application must include proof that:
(1) the applicant is the spouse of a service member;
(2) the applicant holds a valid license in good
standing for the occupation or profession issued by
another state, commonwealth, possession, or territory of
the United States, the District of Columbia, or any
foreign jurisdiction and the requirements for licensure in
the other jurisdiction are determined by the department to
be substantially equivalent to the standards for licensure
of this State;
(2.5) the applicant meets the requirements and
standards for licensure through endorsement or reciprocity
for the occupation or profession for which the applicant
is applying;
(3) the applicant's spouse is assigned to a duty
station in this State, has established legal residence in
this State, or will reside in this State within 6 months
after the date of application for licensure;
(4) a complete set of the applicant's fingerprints has
been submitted to the Department of State Police for
statewide and national criminal history checks, if
applicable to the requirements of the department issuing
the license; the applicant shall pay the fee to the
Department of State Police or to the fingerprint vendor
for electronic fingerprint processing; no temporary
occupational or professional license shall be issued to an
applicant if the statewide or national criminal history
check discloses information that would cause the denial of
an application for licensure under any applicable
occupational or professional licensing Act;
(5) the applicant is not ineligible for licensure
pursuant to Section 2105-165 of the Civil Administrative
Code of Illinois;
(6) the applicant has submitted an application for
full licensure; and
(7) the applicant has paid the required fee; fees
shall not be refundable.
(c-5) If a service member or his or her spouse relocates
from this State, he or she shall be provided an opportunity to
place his or her license in inactive status through
coordination with the military liaison. If the service member
or his or her spouse returns to this State, he or she may
reactivate the license in accordance with the statutory
provisions regulating the profession and any applicable
administrative rules. The license reactivation shall be
expedited and completed within 30 days after receipt of a
completed application to reactivate the license. A license
reactivation is only applicable when the valid license for
which the first issuance of a license was predicated is still
valid and in good standing. An application to reactivate a
license must include proof that the applicant still holds a
valid license in good standing for the occupation or
profession issued in another State, commonwealth, possession,
or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia,
or any foreign jurisdiction.
(d) All relevant experience of a service member or his or
her spouse in the discharge of official duties, including
full-time and part-time experience, shall be credited in the
calculation of any years of practice in an occupation or
profession as may be required under any applicable
occupational or professional licensing Act. All relevant
training provided by the military and completed by a service
member shall be credited to that service member as meeting any
training or education requirement under any applicable
occupational or professional licensing Act, provided that the
training or education is determined by the department to meet
the requirements be substantially equivalent to that required
under any applicable Act and is not otherwise contrary to any
other licensure requirement.
(e) A department may adopt any rules necessary for the
implementation and administration of this Section and shall by
rule provide for fees for the administration of this Section.
(Source: P.A. 101-240, eff. 1-1-20.)
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