Rep. Michael J. Zalewski

Filed: 3/22/2017

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 2968

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 2968 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The Clinical Social Work and Social Work
5Practice Act is amended by changing Section 19 and by adding
6Section 9B as follows:
 
7    (225 ILCS 20/9B new)
8    Sec. 9B. Applicant convictions.
9    (a) The Department and the Board shall not require
10applicants to report information about the following and shall
11not consider the following criminal history records in
12connection with an application for licensure:
13        (1) Juvenile adjudications of delinquent minors as
14    defined in Section 5-105 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987,
15    subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 5-130 of
16    the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.

 

 

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1        (2) Law enforcement records, court records, and
2    conviction records of an individual who was 17 years old at
3    the time of the offense and before January 1, 2014, unless
4    the nature of the offense required the individual to be
5    tried as an adult.
6        (3) Records of arrest not followed by a charge or
7    conviction.
8        (4) Records of arrest where charges were dismissed
9    unless related to the practice of the profession. However,
10    applicants shall not be asked to report any arrests, and an
11    arrest not followed by a conviction shall not be the basis
12    of a denial and may be used only to assess an applicant's
13    rehabilitation.
14        (5) Convictions overturned by a higher court.
15        (6) Convictions or arrests that have been sealed or
16    expunged.
17    (b) Except as provided in Section 2105-165 of the
18Department of Professional Regulation Law, the Department,
19upon a finding that an applicant for a license was previously
20convicted of any felony or misdemeanor directly related to the
21practice of the profession, shall consider any mitigating
22factors and evidence of rehabilitation contained in such
23applicant's record, including any of the following factors and
24evidence, to determine whether a prior conviction will impair
25the ability of the applicant to engage in the position for
26which a license is sought:

 

 

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1        (1) the lack of direct relation of the offense for
2    which the applicant was previously convicted to the duties,
3    functions, and responsibilities of the position for which a
4    license is sought;
5        (2) whether 5 years since a felony conviction or 3
6    years since release from confinement for the conviction,
7    whichever is later, have passed without a subsequent
8    conviction;
9        (3) if the applicant was previously licensed or
10    employed in this State or other state or jurisdictions,
11    then the lack of prior misconduct arising from or related
12    to the licensed position or position of employment;
13        (4) the age of the person at the time of the criminal
14    offense;
15        (5) successful completion of sentence and, for
16    applicants serving a term of parole or probation, a
17    progress report provided by the applicant's probation or
18    parole officer that documents the applicant's compliance
19    with conditions of supervision;
20        (6) evidence of the applicant's present fitness and
21    professional character;
22        (7) evidence of rehabilitation or rehabilitative
23    effort during or after incarceration, or during or after a
24    term of supervision, including, but not limited to, a
25    certificate of good conduct under Section 5-5.5-25 of the
26    Unified Code of Corrections or a certificate of relief from

 

 

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1    disabilities under Section 5-5.5-10 of the Unified Code of
2    Corrections; and
3        (8) any other mitigating factors that contribute to the
4    person's potential and current ability to perform the
5    duties and responsibilities of the position for which a
6    license or employment is sought.
7    (c) If the Department refuses to grant a license to an
8applicant based, in whole or in part, upon a conviction or
9convictions, then the Department shall notify the applicant of
10the denial in writing with the following included in the notice
11of denial:
12        (1) a statement about the decision to refuse to issue a
13    license;
14        (2) a list of the convictions that the Department
15    determined will impair the applicant's ability to engage in
16    the position for which a license is sought;
17        (3) a list of the convictions that form the sole or
18    partial basis for the refusal to issue a license; and
19        (4) a summary of the appeal process or the earliest the
20    applicant may reapply for a license, whichever is
21    applicable.
22    (d) No later than May 1 of each year, the Department must
23prepare, publicly announce, and publish a report of summary
24statistical information relating to new license applications
25during the preceding calendar year. Each report shall show, at
26a minimum:

 

 

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1        (1) the number of applicants for a new license under
2    this Act within the previous calendar year;
3        (2) the number of applicants for a new license under
4    this Act within the previous calendar year who had any
5    criminal conviction;
6        (3) the number of applicants for a new license under
7    this Act in the previous calendar year who were granted a
8    license;
9        (4) the number of applicants for a new license with a
10    criminal conviction who were granted a license under this
11    Act within the previous calendar year;
12        (5) the number of applicants for a new license under
13    this Act within the previous calendar year who were denied
14    a license;
15        (6) the number of applicants for a new license with a
16    criminal conviction who were denied a license under this
17    Act in the previous calendar year in part or in whole
18    because of a prior conviction; and
19        (7) the number of licenses issued on probation under
20    this Act in the previous calendar year to applicants with a
21    criminal conviction.
 
22    (225 ILCS 20/19)  (from Ch. 111, par. 6369)
23    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2018)
24    Sec. 19. Grounds for disciplinary action.
25    (1) The Department may refuse to issue, refuse to renew,

 

 

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1suspend, or revoke any license, or may place on probation,
2censure, reprimand, or take other disciplinary or
3non-disciplinary action deemed appropriate by the Department,
4including the imposition of fines not to exceed $10,000 for
5each violation, with regard to any license issued under the
6provisions of this Act for any one or a combination of the
7following reasons:
8        (a) material misstatements of fact in furnishing
9    information to the Department or to any other State agency
10    or in furnishing information to any insurance company with
11    respect to a claim on behalf of a licensee or a patient;
12        (b) violations or negligent or intentional disregard
13    of this Act, or any of the rules promulgated hereunder;
14        (c) for licensees, conviction of or entry of a plea of
15    guilty or nolo contendere to any crime that is a felony
16    under the laws of the United States or any state or
17    territory thereof or that is a misdemeanor, of which an
18    essential element is dishonesty, or any crime that is
19    directly related to the practice of the clinical social
20    work or social work professions; provisions set forth in
21    Section 9B shall apply for applicants;
22        (d) making any misrepresentation for the purpose of
23    obtaining licenses, or violating any provision of this Act
24    or any of the rules promulgated hereunder;
25        (e) professional incompetence;
26        (f) malpractice;

 

 

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1        (g) aiding or assisting another person in violating any
2    provision of this Act or any rules;
3        (h) failing to provide information within 30 days in
4    response to a written request made by the Department;
5        (i) engaging in dishonorable, unethical or
6    unprofessional conduct of a character likely to deceive,
7    defraud or harm the public as defined by the rules of the
8    Department, or violating the rules of professional conduct
9    adopted by the Board and published by the Department;
10        (j) habitual or excessive use or addiction to alcohol,
11    narcotics, stimulants, or any other chemical agent or drug
12    that results in a clinical social worker's or social
13    worker's inability to practice with reasonable judgment,
14    skill, or safety;
15        (k) discipline by another jurisdiction, if at least one
16    of the grounds for the discipline is the same or
17    substantially equivalent to those set forth in this
18    Section;
19        (l) directly or indirectly giving to or receiving from
20    any person, firm, corporation, partnership, or association
21    any fee, commission, rebate or other form of compensation
22    for any professional service not actually rendered.
23    Nothing in this paragraph (l) affects any bona fide
24    independent contractor or employment arrangements among
25    health care professionals, health facilities, health care
26    providers, or other entities, except as otherwise

 

 

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1    prohibited by law. Any employment arrangements may include
2    provisions for compensation, health insurance, pension, or
3    other employment benefits for the provision of services
4    within the scope of the licensee's practice under this Act.
5    Nothing in this paragraph (l) shall be construed to require
6    an employment arrangement to receive professional fees for
7    services rendered;
8        (m) a finding by the Board that the licensee, after
9    having the license placed on probationary status, has
10    violated the terms of probation;
11        (n) abandonment, without cause, of a client;
12        (o) wilfully filing false reports relating to a
13    licensee's practice, including but not limited to false
14    records filed with Federal or State agencies or
15    departments;
16        (p) wilfully failing to report an instance of suspected
17    child abuse or neglect as required by the Abused and
18    Neglected Child Reporting Act;
19        (q) being named as a perpetrator in an indicated report
20    by the Department of Children and Family Services under the
21    Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, and upon proof by
22    clear and convincing evidence that the licensee has caused
23    a child to be or failed to take reasonable steps to prevent
24    a child from being an abused child or neglected child as
25    defined in the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act;
26        (r) physical illness, mental illness, or any other

 

 

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1    impairment or disability, including, but not limited to,
2    deterioration through the aging process, or loss of motor
3    skills that results in the inability to practice the
4    profession with reasonable judgment, skill or safety;
5        (s) solicitation of professional services by using
6    false or misleading advertising; or
7        (t) violation of the Health Care Worker Self-Referral
8    Act.
9    (2) (Blank).
10    (3) The determination by a court that a licensee is subject
11to involuntary admission or judicial admission as provided in
12the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code, will
13result in an automatic suspension of his license. Such
14suspension will end upon a finding by a court that the licensee
15is no longer subject to involuntary admission or judicial
16admission and issues an order so finding and discharging the
17patient, and upon the recommendation of the Board to the
18Secretary that the licensee be allowed to resume professional
19practice.
20    (4) The Department may refuse to issue or renew or may
21suspend the license of a person who (i) fails to file a return,
22pay the tax, penalty, or interest shown in a filed return, or
23pay any final assessment of tax, penalty, or interest, as
24required by any tax Act administered by the Department of
25Revenue, until the requirements of the tax Act are satisfied or
26(ii) has failed to pay any court-ordered child support as

 

 

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1determined by a court order or by referral from the Department
2of Healthcare and Family Services.
3    (5) In enforcing this Section, the Board upon a showing of
4a possible violation may compel a person licensed to practice
5under this Act, or who has applied for licensure or
6certification pursuant to this Act, to submit to a mental or
7physical examination, or both, as required by and at the
8expense of the Department. The examining physicians shall be
9those specifically designated by the Board. The Board or the
10Department may order the examining physician to present
11testimony concerning this mental or physical examination of the
12licensee or applicant. No information shall be excluded by
13reason of any common law or statutory privilege relating to
14communications between the licensee or applicant and the
15examining physician. The person to be examined may have, at his
16or her own expense, another physician of his or her choice
17present during all aspects of the examination. Failure of any
18person to submit to a mental or physical examination, when
19directed, shall be grounds for suspension of a license until
20the person submits to the examination if the Board finds, after
21notice and hearing, that the refusal to submit to the
22examination was without reasonable cause.
23    If the Board finds a person unable to practice because of
24the reasons set forth in this Section, the Board may require
25that person to submit to care, counseling, or treatment by
26physicians approved or designated by the Board, as a condition,

 

 

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1term, or restriction for continued, reinstated, or renewed
2licensure to practice; or, in lieu of care, counseling or
3treatment, the Board may recommend to the Department to file a
4complaint to immediately suspend, revoke or otherwise
5discipline the license of the person. Any person whose license
6was granted, continued, reinstated, renewed, disciplined or
7supervised subject to such terms, conditions or restrictions,
8and who fails to comply with such terms, conditions, or
9restrictions, shall be referred to the Secretary for a
10determination as to whether the person shall have his or her
11license suspended immediately, pending a hearing by the Board.
12    In instances in which the Secretary immediately suspends a
13person's license under this Section, a hearing on that person's
14license must be convened by the Board within 30 days after the
15suspension and completed without appreciable delay. The Board
16shall have the authority to review the subject person's record
17of treatment and counseling regarding the impairment, to the
18extent permitted by applicable federal statutes and
19regulations safeguarding the confidentiality of medical
20records.
21    A person licensed under this Act and affected under this
22Section shall be afforded an opportunity to demonstrate to the
23Board that he or she can resume practice in compliance with
24acceptable and prevailing standards under the provisions of his
25or her license.
26(Source: P.A. 98-756, eff. 7-16-14.)
 

 

 

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1    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
2becoming law.".