SB0728eng 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0728 Engrossed LRB096 06794 ASK 16879 b

AN ACT concerning regulation.

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

Section 5. The Professional Engineering Practice Act of 1989 is amended by changing Sections 8, 10, and 11 as follows:

(225 ILCS 325/8) (from Ch. 111, par. 5208)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2020)

Sec. 8. Applications for licensure.

(a) Applications for licensure shall (1) be on forms prescribed and furnished by the Department, (2) contain statements made under oath showing the applicant's education and a detailed summary of the applicant's technical work, and (3) contain references as required by the Department.

(b) Applicants shall have obtained the education and experience as required in Section 10 or Section 11 prior to submittal of application for licensure examination, except as provided in subsection (b) of Section 11. Allowable experience shall commence at the date of the baccalaureate degree, except:

(1) Credit for one year of experience shall be given for a graduate of a baccalaureate curriculum providing a cooperative program, which is supervised industrial or field experience of at least one academic year which alternates with periods of full-time academic training, when such program is certified by the university, or

(2) Partial credit may be given for professional engineering experience as defined by rule for employment prior to receipt of a baccalaureate degree if the employment is full-time while the applicant is a part-time student taking fewer than 12 hours per semester or 8 hours per quarter to earn the degree concurrent with the full-time engineering experience.

(3) If an applicant files an application and supporting documents containing a material misstatement of information or a misrepresentation for the purpose of obtaining licensure or enrollment or if an applicant performs any fraud or deceit in taking any examination to qualify for licensure or enrollment under this Act, the Department may issue a rule of intent to deny licensure or enrollment and may conduct a hearing in accordance with Sections 26 through 33 and Sections 37 and 38 of this Act.

The Board may conduct oral interviews of any applicant under Sections 10, 11, or 19 to assist in the evaluation of the qualifications of the applicant.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to supplement the application, when requested by the Board, by provision of additional documentation of education, including transcripts, course content and credentials of the engineering college or college granting related science degrees, or of work experience to permit the Board to determine the qualifications of the applicant. The Department may require an applicant, at the applicant's expense, to have an evaluation of the applicant's education in a foreign country by a nationally recognized evaluating service approved by the Department.

An applicant who graduated from an engineering program outside the United States or its territories and whose first language is not English shall submit certification of passage of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and a test of spoken English as defined by rule.

(Source: P.A. 96-626, eff. 8-24-09.)

(225 ILCS 325/10) (from Ch. 111, par. 5210)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2020)

Sec. 10. Minimum standards for examination for licensure as professional engineer. To qualify for licensure as a professional engineer each applicant shall be:

(a) A graduate of an approved engineering curriculum of at least 4 years who submits acceptable evidence to the Board of an additional 4 years or more of experience in engineering work of a grade and character which indicate that the individual may be competent to practice professional engineering, and who has passed then passes a nominal 8-hour written examination in the fundamentals of engineering, and a nominal 8-hour written examination in the principles and practice of engineering. Upon submitting an application with proof of passing both examinations, the applicant, if otherwise qualified, shall be granted a license to practice professional engineering in this State; or

(b) A graduate of a non-approved engineering curriculum or a related science curriculum of at least 4 years and which meets meeting the requirements as set forth by rule by submitting an application to the Department for its review and approval, who submits acceptable evidence to the Board of an additional 8 years or more of experience in engineering work of a grade and character which indicate that the individual may be competent to practice professional engineering, and who has passed then passes a nominal 8-hour written examination in the fundamentals of engineering and a nominal 8-hour written examination in the principles and practice of engineering. Upon submitting the application with proof of passing both examinations, the applicant, if otherwise qualified, shall be granted a license to practice professional engineering in this State; or

(c) An Illinois engineer intern, by application and payment of the required fee, may then take the nominal 8-hour written examination in the principles and practice of engineering. If the applicant passes that examination and submits evidence to the Board that meets the experience qualification of subsection (a) or (b) of this Section, the applicant, if otherwise qualified, shall be granted a license to practice professional engineering in this State.

(d) When considering an applicant's qualifications for licensure under this Act, the Department may take into consideration whether an applicant has engaged in conduct or actions that would constitute a violation of the Standards of Professional Conduct for this Act as provided for by administrative rules.

(Source: P.A. 96-626, eff. 8-24-09.)

(225 ILCS 325/11) (from Ch. 111, par. 5211)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2020)

Sec. 11. Minimum standards for examination for enrollment as engineer intern. Each of the following is considered a minimum standard that an applicant must satisfy to qualify for enrollment as an engineer intern.

(a) A graduate of an approved engineering curriculum of at least 4 years, who has passed a nominal 8-hour written examination in the fundamentals of engineering, shall be enrolled as an engineer intern, if the applicant is otherwise qualified; or

(b) An applicant in the last year of an approved engineering curriculum who passes a nominal 8-hour written examination in the fundamentals of engineering and furnishes proof that the applicant graduated within a 12 month period following the examination shall be enrolled as an engineer intern, if the applicant is otherwise qualified; or

(c) A graduate of a non-approved engineering curriculum or a related science curriculum, of at least 4 years and which meets meeting the requirements as set forth by rule by submitting an application to the Department for its review and approval, who submits acceptable evidence to the Board of an additional 4 years or more of progressive experience in engineering work, and who has passed then passes a nominal 8-hour written examination in the fundamentals of engineering shall be enrolled as an engineer intern, if the applicant is otherwise qualified.

(Source: P.A. 96-626, eff. 8-24-09.)