093_SB0254eng

 
SB254 Engrossed                      LRB093 05750 LRD 05843 b

 1        AN ACT in relation to the regulation of professions.

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

 4        Section  5.  The Illinois Physical Therapy Act is amended
 5    by changing Sections 8 and 8.1 as follows:

 6        (225 ILCS 90/8) (from Ch. 111, par. 4258)
 7        (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2006)
 8        Sec. 8.   Qualifications  for  licensure  as  a  Physical
 9    Therapist.
10        (a)  A  person  is  qualified  to  receive a license as a
11    physical therapist if that person has applied in writing,  on
12    forms  prescribed  by  the  Department, has paid the required
13    fees, and meets all of the following requirements:
14             (1)  He or she is at least 18 years of  age  and  of
15        good moral character. In determining moral character, the
16        Department   may   take  into  consideration  any  felony
17        conviction of the applicant, but such a conviction  shall
18        not operate automatically as a complete bar to a license.
19             (2)  A  person  applying  for  licensure  after  the
20        effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General
21        Assembly  must  have  a  post-baccalaureate degree from a
22        college or university physical therapy education  program
23        approved  by  the Commission on Accreditation in Physical
24        Therapy  Education.   A  person  who   graduated  from  a
25        physical therapy program outside the United States or its
26        territories  must  submit  evidence  that  his   or   her
27        educational  background  is substantially equivalent to a
28        post-baccalaureate   degree   from   a   Commission    on
29        Accreditation  in  Physical  Therapy  Education  approved
30        physical  therapy  educational program and conferred by a
31        regionally accredited college or university in the United
 
SB254 Engrossed             -2-      LRB093 05750 LRD 05843 b
 1        States. He or she has  graduated  from  a  curriculum  in
 2        physical   therapy   approved   by  the  Department.   In
 3        approving  a  curriculum   in   physical   therapy,   the
 4        Department   shall   consider,   but  not  be  bound  by,
 5        accreditation  by  the  Commission  on  Accreditation  in
 6        Physical Therapy Education.  A person who graduated  from
 7        a  physical  therapy program outside the United States or
 8        its territories shall have his or her degree validated as
 9        equivalent to a physical therapy degree  conferred  by  a
10        regionally accredited college or university in the United
11        States.   The  Department  may establish by rule a method
12        for the completion of course deficiencies.
13             (3)  He or she has passed an examination approved by
14        the Department to determine his fitness for practice as a
15        physical therapist, or is entitled to be licensed without
16        examination as provided in Sections 10  and  11  of  this
17        Act.  A  person  who  graduated  from  a physical therapy
18        program outside the United States or its territories  and
19        whose   first   language  is  not  English  shall  submit
20        certification of passage of the  Test  of  English  as  a
21        Foreign  Language  (TOEFL) and the Test of Spoken English
22        (TSE) as defined by rule prior to  taking  the  licensure
23        examination.
24        (b)  The  Department reserves the right and may request a
25    personal interview of an applicant before  the  Committee  to
26    further evaluate his or her qualifications for a license.
27    (Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99.)

28        (225 ILCS 90/8.1) (from Ch. 111, par. 4258.1)
29        (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2006)
30        Sec.  8.1.   Qualifications  for  licensure as a physical
31    therapist assistant.  A person  is  qualified  to  receive  a
32    license  as a physical therapist assistant if that person has
33    applied in writing, on forms prescribed  by  the  Department,
 
SB254 Engrossed             -3-      LRB093 05750 LRD 05843 b
 1    has paid the required fees and:
 2             (1)  Is  at  least 18 years of age and of good moral
 3        character.    In   determining   moral   character,   the
 4        Department  may  take  into  consideration   any   felony
 5        conviction  of the applicant, but such a conviction shall
 6        not operate automatically as a complete bar to a license;
 7             (2)  Has  graduated  from  a  2  year  college-level
 8        physical therapist therapy assistant  program  accredited
 9        by  the  Commission  on Accreditation in Physical Therapy
10        Education.   A  person  who  graduated  from  a  physical
11        therapy assistant program outside the  United  States  or
12        its  territories  must  submit  evidence  that his or her
13        educational background is substantially equivalent  to  a
14        Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
15        program  and conferred by a regionally accredited college
16        or university in  the  United  States.  approved  by  the
17        Department.   In  approving  such  a  physical  therapist
18        assistant  program  the Department shall consider but not
19        be  bound  by  accreditation   by   the   Commission   on
20        Accreditation  in Physical Therapy Education.  Any person
21        who graduated from a physical therapy  assistant  program
22        outside  the  United States or its territories shall have
23        his or her degree validated as equivalent to  a  physical
24        therapy   assistant  degree  conferred  by  a  regionally
25        accredited college or university in  the  United  States.
26        The  Department  may  establish  by rule a method for the
27        completion of course deficiencies; and
28             (3)  Has  successfully  completed  the   examination
29        authorized  by  the  Department.   A person who graduated
30        from a physical therapy  assistant  program  outside  the
31        United States or its territories and whose first language
32        is  not  English shall submit certification of passage of
33        the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the
34        Test of Spoken English (TSE) as defined by rule prior  to
 
SB254 Engrossed             -4-      LRB093 05750 LRD 05843 b
 1        taking the licensure examination.
 2    (Source: P.A. 89-387, eff. 1-1-96.)