101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB5085

 

Introduced 2/18/2020, by Rep. Thaddeus Jones

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
210 ILCS 50/3.50

    Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health may require that each applicant for a license or license renewal under the Act shall have his or her fingerprints submitted to the Illinois State Police in a specified manner. Requires the fingerprints to be checked against specified databases. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall charge a fee to be paid by the applicant for conducting the criminal history records check, which shall be deposited in the State Police Services Fund and shall not exceed the actual cost of the records check. Requires the Illinois State Police to furnish, after positive identification, records of an applicant's Illinois convictions and to forward the criminal history record information to the Department. Provides that incomplete applications or applications that do not comply with the amendatory provisions may be denied by the Department. Allows the Department to adopt rules regarding the amendatory provisions. Effective January 1, 2021.


LRB101 18835 CPF 68292 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5085LRB101 18835 CPF 68292 b

1    AN ACT concerning health.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act
5is amended by changing Section 3.50 as follows:
 
6    (210 ILCS 50/3.50)
7    Sec. 3.50. Emergency Medical Services personnel licensure
8levels.
9    (a) "Emergency Medical Technician" or "EMT" means a person
10who has successfully completed a course in basic life support
11as approved by the Department, is currently licensed by the
12Department in accordance with standards prescribed by this Act
13and rules adopted by the Department pursuant to this Act, and
14practices within an EMS System. A valid Emergency Medical
15Technician-Basic (EMT-B) license issued under this Act shall
16continue to be valid and shall be recognized as an Emergency
17Medical Technician (EMT) license until the Emergency Medical
18Technician-Basic (EMT-B) license expires.
19    (b) "Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediate" or "EMT-I"
20means a person who has successfully completed a course in
21intermediate life support as approved by the Department, is
22currently licensed by the Department in accordance with
23standards prescribed by this Act and rules adopted by the

 

 

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1Department pursuant to this Act, and practices within an
2Intermediate or Advanced Life Support EMS System.
3    (b-5) "Advanced Emergency Medical Technician" or "A-EMT"
4means a person who has successfully completed a course in basic
5and limited advanced emergency medical care as approved by the
6Department, is currently licensed by the Department in
7accordance with standards prescribed by this Act and rules
8adopted by the Department pursuant to this Act, and practices
9within an Intermediate or Advanced Life Support EMS System.
10    (c) "Paramedic (EMT-P)" means a person who has successfully
11completed a course in advanced life support care as approved by
12the Department, is licensed by the Department in accordance
13with standards prescribed by this Act and rules adopted by the
14Department pursuant to this Act, and practices within an
15Advanced Life Support EMS System. A valid Emergency Medical
16Technician-Paramedic (EMT-P) license issued under this Act
17shall continue to be valid and shall be recognized as a
18Paramedic license until the Emergency Medical
19Technician-Paramedic (EMT-P) license expires.
20    (c-5) "Emergency Medical Responder" or "EMR (First
21Responder)" means a person who has successfully completed a
22course in emergency medical response as approved by the
23Department and provides emergency medical response services
24prior to the arrival of an ambulance or specialized emergency
25medical services vehicle, in accordance with the level of care
26established by the National EMS Educational Standards

 

 

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1Emergency Medical Responder course as modified by the
2Department. An Emergency Medical Responder who provides
3services as part of an EMS System response plan shall comply
4with the applicable sections of the Program Plan, as approved
5by the Department, of that EMS System. The Department shall
6have the authority to adopt rules governing the curriculum,
7practice, and necessary equipment applicable to Emergency
8Medical Responders.
9    On August 15, 2014 (the effective date of Public Act
1098-973), a person who is licensed by the Department as a First
11Responder and has completed a Department-approved course in
12first responder defibrillator training based on, or equivalent
13to, the National EMS Educational Standards or other standards
14previously recognized by the Department shall be eligible for
15licensure as an Emergency Medical Responder upon meeting the
16licensure requirements and submitting an application to the
17Department. A valid First Responder license issued under this
18Act shall continue to be valid and shall be recognized as an
19Emergency Medical Responder license until the First Responder
20license expires.
21    (c-10) All EMS Systems and licensees shall be fully
22compliant with the National EMS Education Standards, as
23modified by the Department in administrative rules, within 24
24months after the adoption of the administrative rules.
25    (d) The Department shall have the authority and
26responsibility to:

 

 

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1        (1) Prescribe education and training requirements,
2    which includes training in the use of epinephrine, for all
3    levels of EMS personnel except for EMRs, based on the
4    National EMS Educational Standards and any modifications
5    to those curricula specified by the Department through
6    rules adopted pursuant to this Act.
7        (2) Prescribe licensure testing requirements for all
8    levels of EMS personnel, which shall include a requirement
9    that all phases of instruction, training, and field
10    experience be completed before taking the appropriate
11    licensure examination. Candidates may elect to take the
12    appropriate National Registry examination in lieu of the
13    Department's examination, but are responsible for making
14    their own arrangements for taking the National Registry
15    examination. In prescribing licensure testing requirements
16    for honorably discharged members of the armed forces of the
17    United States under this paragraph (2), the Department
18    shall ensure that a candidate's military emergency medical
19    training, emergency medical curriculum completed, and
20    clinical experience, as described in paragraph (2.5), are
21    recognized.
22        (2.5) Review applications for EMS personnel licensure
23    from honorably discharged members of the armed forces of
24    the United States with military emergency medical
25    training. Applications shall be filed with the Department
26    within one year after military discharge and shall contain:

 

 

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1    (i) proof of successful completion of military emergency
2    medical training; (ii) a detailed description of the
3    emergency medical curriculum completed; and (iii) a
4    detailed description of the applicant's clinical
5    experience. The Department may request additional and
6    clarifying information. The Department shall evaluate the
7    application, including the applicant's training and
8    experience, consistent with the standards set forth under
9    subsections (a), (b), (c), and (d) of Section 3.10. If the
10    application clearly demonstrates that the training and
11    experience meet such standards, the Department shall offer
12    the applicant the opportunity to successfully complete a
13    Department-approved EMS personnel examination for the
14    level of license for which the applicant is qualified. Upon
15    passage of an examination, the Department shall issue a
16    license, which shall be subject to all provisions of this
17    Act that are otherwise applicable to the level of EMS
18    personnel license issued.
19        (3) License individuals as an EMR, EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT,
20    or Paramedic who have met the Department's education,
21    training and examination requirements.
22        (4) Prescribe annual continuing education and
23    relicensure requirements for all EMS personnel licensure
24    levels.
25        (5) Relicense individuals as an EMD, EMR, EMT, EMT-I,
26    A-EMT, PHRN, PHAPRN, PHPA, or Paramedic every 4 years,

 

 

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1    based on their compliance with continuing education and
2    relicensure requirements as required by the Department
3    pursuant to this Act. Every 4 years, a Paramedic shall have
4    100 hours of approved continuing education, an EMT-I and an
5    advanced EMT shall have 80 hours of approved continuing
6    education, and an EMT shall have 60 hours of approved
7    continuing education. An Illinois licensed EMR, EMD, EMT,
8    EMT-I, A-EMT, Paramedic, ECRN, PHPA, PHAPRN, or PHRN whose
9    license has been expired for less than 36 months may apply
10    for reinstatement by the Department. Reinstatement shall
11    require that the applicant (i) submit satisfactory proof of
12    completion of continuing medical education and clinical
13    requirements to be prescribed by the Department in an
14    administrative rule; (ii) submit a positive recommendation
15    from an Illinois EMS Medical Director attesting to the
16    applicant's qualifications for retesting; and (iii) pass a
17    Department approved test for the level of EMS personnel
18    license sought to be reinstated.
19        (6) Grant inactive status to any EMR, EMD, EMT, EMT-I,
20    A-EMT, Paramedic, ECRN, PHAPRN, PHPA, or PHRN who
21    qualifies, based on standards and procedures established
22    by the Department in rules adopted pursuant to this Act.
23        (7) Charge a fee for EMS personnel examination,
24    licensure, and license renewal.
25        (8) Suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue or renew the
26    license of any licensee, after an opportunity for an

 

 

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1    impartial hearing before a neutral administrative law
2    judge appointed by the Director, where the preponderance of
3    the evidence shows one or more of the following:
4            (A) The licensee has not met continuing education
5        or relicensure requirements as prescribed by the
6        Department;
7            (B) The licensee has failed to maintain
8        proficiency in the level of skills for which he or she
9        is licensed;
10            (C) The licensee, during the provision of medical
11        services, engaged in dishonorable, unethical, or
12        unprofessional conduct of a character likely to
13        deceive, defraud, or harm the public;
14            (D) The licensee has failed to maintain or has
15        violated standards of performance and conduct as
16        prescribed by the Department in rules adopted pursuant
17        to this Act or his or her EMS System's Program Plan;
18            (E) The licensee is physically impaired to the
19        extent that he or she cannot physically perform the
20        skills and functions for which he or she is licensed,
21        as verified by a physician, unless the person is on
22        inactive status pursuant to Department regulations;
23            (F) The licensee is mentally impaired to the extent
24        that he or she cannot exercise the appropriate
25        judgment, skill and safety for performing the
26        functions for which he or she is licensed, as verified

 

 

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1        by a physician, unless the person is on inactive status
2        pursuant to Department regulations;
3            (G) The licensee has violated this Act or any rule
4        adopted by the Department pursuant to this Act; or
5            (H) The licensee has been convicted (or entered a
6        plea of guilty or nolo contendere nolo-contendere) by a
7        court of competent jurisdiction of a Class X, Class 1,
8        or Class 2 felony in this State or an out-of-state
9        equivalent offense.
10        (9) Prescribe education and training requirements in
11    the administration and use of opioid antagonists for all
12    levels of EMS personnel based on the National EMS
13    Educational Standards and any modifications to those
14    curricula specified by the Department through rules
15    adopted pursuant to this Act.
16        (10) Require that each applicant for a license or
17    license renewal under this Act shall have his or her
18    fingerprints submitted to the Illinois State Police in an
19    electronic format that complies with the form and manner
20    for requesting and furnishing criminal history record
21    information as prescribed by the Illinois State Police. The
22    fingerprints shall be transmitted through a live scan
23    fingerprint vendor licensed by the Department of Financial
24    and Professional Regulation. The fingerprints shall be
25    checked against the Illinois State Police and Federal
26    Bureau of Investigation criminal history record databases

 

 

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1    now and hereafter filed, including, but not limited to,
2    civil, criminal, and latent fingerprint databases. The
3    Illinois State Police shall charge a fee to be paid by the
4    applicant for conducting the criminal history records
5    check, which shall be deposited in the State Police
6    Services Fund and shall not exceed the actual cost of the
7    records check. The Illinois State Police shall furnish,
8    after positive identification, records of an applicant's
9    Illinois convictions and shall forward the national
10    criminal history record information to the Department.
11    Incomplete applications or applications that do not comply
12    with this Section may be denied by the Department. The
13    Department may adopt rules to implement this Section,
14    including, but not limited to, rules regarding
15    disqualifying conditions.
16    (d-5) An EMR, EMD, EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, Paramedic, ECRN,
17PHAPRN, PHPA, or PHRN who is a member of the Illinois National
18Guard or an Illinois State Trooper or who exclusively serves as
19a volunteer for units of local government with a population
20base of less than 5,000 or as a volunteer for a not-for-profit
21organization that serves a service area with a population base
22of less than 5,000 may submit an application to the Department
23for a waiver of the fees described under paragraph (7) of
24subsection (d) of this Section on a form prescribed by the
25Department.
26    The education requirements prescribed by the Department

 

 

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1under this Section must allow for the suspension of those
2requirements in the case of a member of the armed services or
3reserve forces of the United States or a member of the Illinois
4National Guard who is on active duty pursuant to an executive
5order of the President of the United States, an act of the
6Congress of the United States, or an order of the Governor at
7the time that the member would otherwise be required to fulfill
8a particular education requirement. Such a person must fulfill
9the education requirement within 6 months after his or her
10release from active duty.
11    (e) In the event that any rule of the Department or an EMS
12Medical Director that requires testing for drug use as a
13condition of the applicable EMS personnel license conflicts
14with or duplicates a provision of a collective bargaining
15agreement that requires testing for drug use, that rule shall
16not apply to any person covered by the collective bargaining
17agreement.
18    (f) At the time of applying for or renewing his or her
19license, an applicant for a license or license renewal may
20submit an email address to the Department. The Department shall
21keep the email address on file as a form of contact for the
22individual. The Department shall send license renewal notices
23electronically and by mail to a licensee all licensees who
24provides provide the Department with his or her email address.
25The notices shall be sent at least 60 days prior to the
26expiration date of the license.

 

 

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1(Source: P.A. 100-1082, eff. 8-24-19; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19;
2101-153, eff. 1-1-20; revised 12-3-19.)
 
3    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
41, 2021.