093_HB2046eng

 
HB2046 Engrossed                     LRB093 04892 AMC 04951 b

 1        AN ACT concerning professional counselors.

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

 4        Section  5.   The  Professional  Counselor  and  Clinical
 5    Professional Counselor Licensing Act is amended  by  changing
 6    Section 30 as follows:

 7        (225 ILCS 107/30) (from Ch. 111, par. 8451-30)
 8        (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2013)
 9        Sec.    30.  Professional    Counselor    Examining   and
10    Disciplinary Board.
11        (a)  The Director must shall appoint a Board which  shall
12    serve in an advisory capacity to the Director. The Board must
13    shall  consist of 7 persons, 2 of whom are licensed solely as
14    professional counselors, 3 of whom  are  licensed  solely  as
15    clinical   professional  counselors,  one  full-time  faculty
16    member of an accredited college or university that is engaged
17    in training professional counselors or clinical  professional
18    counselors  who  possesses  the  qualifications substantially
19    equivalent to the education and experience requirements for a
20    professional counselor or  clinical  professional  counselor,
21    and  one  member  of  the public who is not a licensed health
22    care provider.  In  appointing  members  of  the  Board,  the
23    Director  must  shall  give due consideration to the adequate
24    representation  of  the  various  fields  of  counseling.  In
25    appointing members of the Board, the Director must shall give
26    due  consideration  to  recommendations  by  members  of  the
27    professions   of   professional   counseling   and   clinical
28    professional   counseling,   the   Statewide    organizations
29    representing  the  interests  of  professional counselors and
30    clinical professional counselors, organizations  representing
31    the interests of academic programs, rehabilitation counseling
 
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 1    programs,  and  approved  counseling programs in the State of
 2    Illinois.
 3        (b)  Members shall be appointed for  and  shall  serve  4
 4    year  terms  and  until  their  successors  are appointed and
 5    qualified, except that of the initial appointments 2  members
 6    shall be appointed to serve for 2 years, 2 shall be appointed
 7    to serve for 3 years, and the remaining shall be appointed to
 8    serve  for  4  years and until their successors are appointed
 9    and qualified. No member shall be reappointed  to  the  Board
10    for  a  term that would cause continuous service on the Board
11    to be longer than 8 years. Any appointment to fill a  vacancy
12    shall be for the unexpired portion of the term.
13        (c)  The   membership  of  the  Board  should  reasonably
14    reflect representation from  different  geographic  areas  of
15    Illinois.
16        (d)  Any  member  appointed  to  fill  a vacancy shall be
17    eligible for reappointment to only one full term.
18        (e)  The Director may remove any member for cause at  any
19    time prior to the expiration of his or her term.
20        (f)  The Board shall annually elect one of its members as
21    chairperson.
22        (g)  The members of the Board shall be reimbursed for all
23    legitimate,  necessary,  and  authorized expenses incurred in
24    attending the meetings of the Board.
25        (h)  The  Board  may  make  recommendations  on   matters
26    relating  to  approving  graduate  counseling, rehabilitation
27    counseling, psychology, and related programs.
28        (i)  The  Board  may  make  recommendations  on   matters
29    relating  to  continuing  education  including  the number of
30    hours necessary for license renewal, waivers for those unable
31    to meet such requirements,  and  acceptable  course  content.
32    These recommendations shall not impose an undue burden on the
33    Department  or  an  unreasonable restriction on those seeking
34    license renewal.
 
HB2046 Engrossed            -3-      LRB093 04892 AMC 04951 b
 1        (j)  The Director shall give  due  consideration  to  all
 2    recommendations of the Board.
 3        (k)  A  majority of the Board members currently appointed
 4    shall constitute a quorum. A vacancy in the membership of the
 5    Board shall not impair the right of a quorum to  perform  all
 6    of the duties of the Board.
 7        (l)  Members  of the Board shall have no criminal, civil,
 8    or  professional  liability  in  an  action  based   upon   a
 9    disciplinary  proceeding  or other activity performed in good
10    faith as a member of the Board, except for willful or  wanton
11    misconduct.
12    (Source: P.A. 92-719, eff. 7-25-02.)