Public Act 90-0714 of the 90th General Assembly
Public Act 90-0714
HB3710 Enrolled LRB9010428LDdv
AN ACT to amend the Illinois Plumbing License Law by
changing Sections 14 and 18 and adding Section 29.5.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Illinois Plumbing License Law is amended
by changing Sections 14 and 18 and adding Section 29.5 as
follows:
(225 ILCS 320/14) (from Ch. 111, par. 1113)
Sec. 14. License renewal; continuing education. All
plumber's licenses and apprentice plumber's licenses issued
under this Act shall expire on April 30 next following date
of issuance. The term for retired plumber's licenses shall be
prescribed by Department rule after consultation with the
Board of Plumbing Examiners.
An apprentice plumber's license shall also expire the
date that the licensed plumber sponsor of such licensed
apprentice plumber severs his or her sponsor status with the
licensed apprentice plumber. The licensed plumber sponsor
shall immediately notify the Department of the severance of
his or her relationship with the licensed apprentice plumber.
Such apprentice plumber may, on forms provided by the
Department, apply for reinstatement of his or her apprentice
license by submitting to the Department a new application and
new apprentice plumber's license fee. The application shall
verify that the applicant for reinstatement of his or her
apprentice plumber's license is sponsored by an Illinois
licensed plumber. If the applicant is employed by a firm,
the application shall contain the name and license number of
an Illinois licensed plumber employee of the firm or name and
license number of an Illinois licensed plumber member of the
firm, or name and Illinois plumber's license number of an
officer of a corporation who is the sponsor. Licensed
apprentice plumbers shall not accumulate more than 6 years as
a licensed apprentice plumber.
Upon the recommendation of the Board, the Department may
require by rule that each licensed plumber annually complete
a minimum number of hours of classroom instruction and
provide evidence of attending the classes before receiving a
renewal plumber license. A continuing education requirement
established by the Department for all licensed plumbers shall
not exceed 15 hours per year. In addition, the Department
shall by rule establish guidelines for additional continuing
education to be required for licensed plumbers found to have
committed repeated Plumbing Code violations. In support of
these requirements, the Department shall by rule establish
curricula for continuing education and requirements for
instructors and may certify instructors and training programs
and schools for continuing education.
A plumber's license and an apprentice plumber's license
may be renewed for a period of one year from each succeeding
May 1st upon payment prior to May 1st of the required renewal
fee and submission of required evidence of successful
completion of any required continuing education courses.
Application for renewal shall be on forms provided by the
Department. An application for renewal of licenses received
by the Department after May 1st shall include the annual
renewal fees plus reinstatement fees, provided that the
apprentice plumber's application is received by November 1 of
the same year.
A plumber licensed pursuant to this Act whose license has
been expired for a period of less than 5 years may apply to
the Department for reinstatement of his or her plumber's
license. The Department shall issue such license renewal
provided the applicant pays to the Department all lapsed
renewal fees, plus the reinstatement fee. A plumber
licensed pursuant to this Act who has permitted his or her
license to expire for more than 5 years may apply, in
writing, to the Department for restoration of his or her
license. The Department shall restore his or her license
provided he or she pays to the Department the required
restoration fee and shall successfully pass the examination
for an Illinois plumber's license. The restoration fee
includes the applicant's examination fee. Failure by the
applicant to successfully pass the plumber's license
examination shall be sufficient grounds for the Department to
withhold issuance of the requested restoration of the
applicant's plumber's license. The applicant may retake the
examination in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
A retired plumber licensed under this Act who has
surrendered his or her plumber's license for a period of less
than 5 years may apply to the Department for reinstatement of
his or her plumber's license. The Department shall renew the
license provided the applicant pays to the Department any
reinstatement fee required by Department rule. A retired
plumber licensed under this Act who has surrendered his or
her plumber's license for a period of more than 5 years may
apply in writing to the Department for restoration of his or
her license. The Department shall restore his or her license
provided he or she pays to the Department the restoration fee
required by Department rule and successfully passes the
examination for an Illinois plumber's license. The
restoration fee includes the applicant's examination fee.
Failure by the applicant to successfully pass the plumber's
license examination shall be sufficient grounds for the
Department to withhold issuance of the requested restoration
of the applicant's plumber's license. The applicant may
retake the examination in accordance with the provisions of
this Act.
(Source: P.A. 89-665, eff. 8-14-96.)
(225 ILCS 320/18) (from Ch. 111, par. 1117)
Sec. 18. Local regulation; Department standards.
(1) It is hereby declared to be the policy of this State
that each city, town, village, township or county with a
water supply system or sewage disposal system or both should
so soon after the enactment of this Act as practicable, with
the advice of the State Department of Public Health, provide
by ordinance, bylaws or rules and regulations for the
materials, construction, alteration, and inspection of all
plumbing placed in or in connection with any building in any
such city, town, village, township, or county and to provide
for and appoint a competent Plumbing Inspector or more as
required. The Department may by rule establish voluntary
standards for the content and conduct of local plumbing
regulation and inspection programs and may evaluate and
certify local programs that are in compliance with the
voluntary standards. The Department may by rule establish
voluntary education, training, and experience standards for
Plumbing Inspectors and may certify Plumbing Inspectors who
are in compliance with the voluntary standards. Nothing
contained in this Act shall prohibit any city, town, village,
township or county from providing for a Plumbing Inspector or
from requiring permits for the installation and repair of
plumbing and collecting a fee therefor. No person shall be
appointed as a Plumbing Inspector who is not a licensed
plumber under this Act, including persons employed as
Plumbing Inspectors in home rule units.
(2) The Department of Public Health shall conduct
inquiry in any city, town, village, township, or county or at
any other place in the State when reasonably necessary in the
judgment of the Director of the Department of Public Health
to safeguard the health of any person or persons in this
State, on account of piping or appurtenant appliances within
any building, or outside, when such piping and appliances are
for the use of plumbing as defined in this Act and for the
use of carrying sewage or waste within or from any building.
The Department of Public Health may conduct such
inquiries in any city, town, village, township or county in
this State by directing the Plumbing Inspector thereof to aid
in or conduct such inquiry or investigation in behalf of the
Department of Public Health or the Department of Public
Health may designate some other person or persons to conduct
such investigation.
(Source: P.A. 83-1362.)
(225 ILCS 320/29.5 new)
Sec. 29.5. Unlicensed practice; violation; civil penalty.
(a) A person who practices, offers to practice, attempts
to practice, or holds himself or herself out to practice as a
plumber without being licensed under this Act shall, in
addition to any other penalty provided by law, pay a civil
penalty to the Department in an amount not to exceed $5,000
for each offense as determined by the Department. The civil
penalty shall be assessed by the Department after a hearing
is held in accordance with the provisions set forth in this
Act regarding the provision of a hearing for the discipline
of a licensee.
(b) The Department has the authority and power to
investigate any person who practices, offers to practice,
attempts to practice, or holds himself or herself out to
practice as a plumber without being licensed under this Act.
(c) The civil penalty shall be paid within 60 days after
the effective date of the order imposing the civil penalty.
The order shall constitute a judgment and may be filed and
execution had on the judgment in the same manner as a
judgment from a court of record. All fines and penalties
collected by the Department under this Section of the Act and
accrued interest shall be deposited into the Plumbing
Licensure and Program Fund for use by the Department in
performing activities relating to the administration and
enforcement of this Act.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.