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1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Regulatory Sunset Act is amended by changing
5Section 4.26 and by adding Section 4.36 as follows:
 
6    (5 ILCS 80/4.26)
7    Sec. 4.26. Acts repealed on January 1, 2016. The following
8Acts are repealed on January 1, 2016:
9    The Illinois Athletic Trainers Practice Act.
10    The Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act.
11    The Illinois Dental Practice Act.
12    The Collection Agency Act.
13    The Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding, and
14Nail Technology Act of 1985.
15    The Respiratory Care Practice Act.
16    The Hearing Instrument Consumer Protection Act.
17    The Illinois Physical Therapy Act.
18    The Professional Geologist Licensing Act.
19(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08;
2096-1246, eff. 1-1-11.)
 
21    (5 ILCS 80/4.36 new)
22    Sec. 4.36. Act repealed on January 1, 2026. The following

 

 

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1Act is repealed on January 1, 2026:
2    The Illinois Physical Therapy Act.
 
3    Section 10. The Illinois Physical Therapy Act is amended by
4changing Sections 1, 8, 12, and 16.2 and by adding Sections
52.5, 19.5, and 31.5 as follows:
 
6    (225 ILCS 90/1)  (from Ch. 111, par. 4251)
7    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2016)
8    Sec. 1. Definitions. As used in this Act:
9    (1) "Physical therapy" means all of the following:
10        (A) Examining, evaluating, and testing individuals who
11    may have mechanical, physiological, or developmental
12    impairments, functional limitations, disabilities, or
13    other health and movement-related conditions, classifying
14    these disorders, determining a rehabilitation prognosis
15    and plan of therapeutic intervention, and assessing the
16    on-going effects of the interventions.
17        (B) Alleviating impairments, functional limitations,
18    or disabilities by designing, implementing, and modifying
19    therapeutic interventions that may include, but are not
20    limited to, the evaluation or treatment of a person through
21    the use of the effective properties of physical measures
22    and heat, cold, light, water, radiant energy, electricity,
23    sound, and air and use of therapeutic massage, therapeutic
24    exercise, mobilization, and rehabilitative procedures,

 

 

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1    with or without assistive devices, for the purposes of
2    preventing, correcting, or alleviating a physical or
3    mental impairment, functional limitation, or disability.
4        (C) Reducing the risk of injury, impairment,
5    functional limitation, or disability, including the
6    promotion and maintenance of fitness, health, and
7    wellness.
8        (D) Engaging in administration, consultation,
9    education, and research.
10    Physical therapy includes, but is not limited to: (a)
11performance of specialized tests and measurements, (b)
12administration of specialized treatment procedures, (c)
13interpretation of referrals from physicians, dentists,
14advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, and podiatric
15physicians, (d) establishment, and modification of physical
16therapy treatment programs, (e) administration of topical
17medication used in generally accepted physical therapy
18procedures when such medication is either prescribed by the
19patient's physician, licensed to practice medicine in all its
20branches, the patient's physician licensed to practice
21podiatric medicine, the patient's advanced practice nurse, the
22patient's physician assistant, or the patient's dentist or used
23following the physician's orders or written instructions, and
24(f) supervision or teaching of physical therapy. Physical
25therapy does not include radiology, electrosurgery,
26chiropractic technique or determination of a differential

 

 

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1diagnosis; provided, however, the limitation on determining a
2differential diagnosis shall not in any manner limit a physical
3therapist licensed under this Act from performing an evaluation
4pursuant to such license. Nothing in this Section shall limit a
5physical therapist from employing appropriate physical therapy
6techniques that he or she is educated and licensed to perform.
7A physical therapist shall refer to a licensed physician,
8advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, dentist, or
9podiatric physician, other physical therapist, or other health
10care provider any patient whose medical condition should, at
11the time of evaluation or treatment, be determined to be beyond
12the scope of practice of the physical therapist.
13    (2) "Physical therapist" means a person who practices
14physical therapy and who has met all requirements as provided
15in this Act.
16    (3) "Department" means the Department of Professional
17Regulation.
18    (4) "Director" means the Director of Professional
19Regulation.
20    (5) "Board" means the Physical Therapy Licensing and
21Disciplinary Board approved by the Director.
22    (6) "Referral" means a written or oral authorization for
23physical therapy services for a patient by a physician,
24dentist, advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, or
25podiatric physician who maintains medical supervision of the
26patient and makes a diagnosis or verifies that the patient's

 

 

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1condition is such that it may be treated by a physical
2therapist.
3    (7) "Documented current and relevant diagnosis" for the
4purpose of this Act means a diagnosis, substantiated by
5signature or oral verification of a physician, dentist,
6advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, or podiatric
7physician, that a patient's condition is such that it may be
8treated by physical therapy as defined in this Act, which
9diagnosis shall remain in effect until changed by the
10physician, dentist, advanced practice nurse, physician
11assistant, or podiatric physician.
12    (8) "State" includes:
13        (a) the states of the United States of America;
14        (b) the District of Columbia; and
15        (c) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
16    (9) "Physical therapist assistant" means a person licensed
17to assist a physical therapist and who has met all requirements
18as provided in this Act and who works under the supervision of
19a licensed physical therapist to assist in implementing the
20physical therapy treatment program as established by the
21licensed physical therapist. The patient care activities
22provided by the physical therapist assistant shall not include
23the interpretation of referrals, evaluation procedures, or the
24planning or major modification of patient programs.
25    (10) "Physical therapy aide" means a person who has
26received on the job training, specific to the facility in which

 

 

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1he is employed, but who has not completed an approved physical
2therapist assistant program.
3    (11) "Advanced practice nurse" means a person licensed
4under the Nurse Practice Act who has a collaborative agreement
5with a collaborating physician that authorizes referrals to
6physical therapists.
7    (12) "Physician assistant" means a person licensed under
8the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987 who has been
9delegated authority to make referrals to physical therapists.
10(Source: P.A. 98-214, eff. 8-9-13.)
 
11    (225 ILCS 90/2.5 new)
12    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026)
13    Sec. 2.5. Unlicensed practice; violation; civil penalty.
14    (a) In addition to any other penalty provided by law, any
15person who practices, offers to practice, attempts to practice,
16or holds oneself out to practice as a physical therapist or
17assistant without being licensed under this Act shall, in
18addition to any other penalty provided by law, pay a civil
19penalty to the Department in an amount not to exceed $10,000
20for each offense as determined by the Department. The civil
21penalty shall be assessed by the Department after a hearing is
22held in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Act
23regarding the provision of a hearing for the discipline of a
24licensee.
25    (b) The Department has the authority and power to

 

 

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1investigate any and all unlicensed activity.
2    (c) The civil penalty shall be paid within 60 days after
3the effective date of the order imposing the civil penalty. The
4order shall constitute a judgment and may be filed and
5execution had thereon in the same manner as any judgment from
6any court of record.
 
7    (225 ILCS 90/8)  (from Ch. 111, par. 4258)
8    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2016)
9    Sec. 8. Qualifications for licensure as a Physical
10Therapist.
11    (a) A person is qualified to receive a license as a
12physical therapist if that person has applied in writing, on
13forms prescribed by the Department, has paid the required fees,
14and meets all of the following requirements:
15        (1) He or she is at least 21 18 years of age and of good
16    moral character. In determining moral character, the
17    Department may take into consideration any felony
18    conviction of the applicant, but such a conviction shall
19    not operate automatically as a complete bar to a license.
20        (2) He or she has graduated from a curriculum in
21    physical therapy approved by the Department. In approving a
22    curriculum in physical therapy, the Department shall
23    consider, but not be bound by, accreditation by the
24    Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.
25    A person who graduated from a physical therapy program

 

 

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1    outside the United States or its territories shall have his
2    or her degree validated as equivalent to a physical therapy
3    degree conferred by a regionally accredited college or
4    university in the United States. The Department may
5    establish by rule a method for the completion of course
6    deficiencies.
7        (3) He or she has passed an examination approved by the
8    Department to determine his fitness for practice as a
9    physical therapist, or is entitled to be licensed without
10    examination as provided in Sections 10 and 11 of this Act.
11    A person who graduated from a physical therapy program
12    outside the United States or its territories and whose
13    first language is not English shall submit certification of
14    passage of the Test of English as a Foreign Language
15    (TOEFL) and the Test of Spoken English (TSE) as defined by
16    rule prior to taking the licensure examination.
17    (b) The Department reserves the right and may request a
18personal interview of an applicant before the Board to further
19evaluate his or her qualifications for a license.
20(Source: P.A. 94-651, eff. 1-1-06.)
 
21    (225 ILCS 90/12)  (from Ch. 111, par. 4262)
22    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2016)
23    Sec. 12. Examinations. The Department shall examine
24applicants for licenses as physical therapists or physical
25therapist assistants at such times and places as it may

 

 

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1determine. At least 2 written examinations shall be given
2during each calendar year for both physical therapists and
3physical therapist assistants. The examination shall be
4approved by the Department.
5    Following notification of eligibility for examination, an
6applicant who fails to take the examination for a license under
7this Act within 60 days of the notification or on the next
8available exam date, if no exam is held within 60 days of the
9notification, shall forfeit his or her fee and his or her right
10to practice as a physical therapist or physical therapist
11assistant until such time as the applicant has passed the
12appropriate examination. Any applicant failing the examination
13three times in any jurisdiction will not be allowed to sit for
14another examination until the applicant has presented
15satisfactory evidence to the Board of appropriate remedial work
16as set forth in the rules and regulations.
17    If an applicant neglects, fails or refuses to take an
18examination or fails to pass an examination for a license or
19otherwise fails to complete the application process under this
20Act within 3 years after filing his application, the
21application shall be denied. However, such applicant may make a
22new application for examination accompanied by the required
23fee, and must furnish proof of meeting qualifications for
24examination in effect at the time of new application.
25(Source: P.A. 94-651, eff. 1-1-06.)
 

 

 

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1    (225 ILCS 90/16.2)
2    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2016)
3    Sec. 16.2. Deposit of fees and fines; appropriations. All
4fees, penalties, and fines collected under this Act shall be
5deposited into the General Professions Dedicated Fund and shall
6be . All moneys in the Fund shall be used by the Department of
7Professional Regulation, as appropriated to the Department ,
8for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Department in
9the administration of this Act.
10(Source: P.A. 89-387, eff. 1-1-96.)
 
11    (225 ILCS 90/19.5 new)
12    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026)
13    Sec. 19.5. Confidentiality. All information collected by
14the Department in the course of an examination or investigation
15of a licensee or applicant, including, but not limited to, any
16complaint against a licensee filed with the Department and
17information collected to investigate any such complaint, shall
18be maintained for the confidential use of the Department and
19shall not be disclosed. The Department may not disclose the
20information to anyone other than law enforcement officials,
21other regulatory agencies that have an appropriate regulatory
22interest as determined by the Secretary of the Department, or a
23party presenting a lawful subpoena to the Department.
24Information and documents disclosed to a federal, State,
25county, or local law enforcement agency shall not be disclosed

 

 

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1by the agency for any purpose to any other agency or person. A
2formal complaint filed by the Department against a licensee or
3applicant shall be a public record, except as otherwise
4prohibited by law.
 
5    (225 ILCS 90/31.5 new)
6    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026)
7    Sec. 31.5. Suspension of license for failure to pay
8restitution. The Department, without further process or
9hearing, shall suspend the license or other authorization to
10practice of any person issued under this Act who has been
11certified by court order as not having paid restitution to a
12person under Section 8A-3.5 of the Illinois Public Aid Code or
13under Section 17-10.5 or 46-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or
14the Criminal Code of 2012. A person whose license or other
15authorization to practice is suspended under this Section is
16prohibited from practicing until the restitution is made in
17full.
 
18    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
19becoming law.