SB2998eng 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB2998 Engrossed LRB098 19576 ZMM 54766 b

AN ACT concerning regulation.

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

Section 5. The Nurse Practice Act is amended by changing Section 65-5 as follows:

(225 ILCS 65/65-5) (was 225 ILCS 65/15-10)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2018)

Sec. 65-5. Qualifications for APN licensure.

(a) Each applicant who successfully meets the requirements of this Section shall be entitled to licensure as an advanced practice nurse.

(b) An applicant for licensure to practice as an advanced practice nurse must do each of the following:

(1) Submit a completed application and any fees as established by the Department.

(2) Hold a current license to practice as a registered professional nurse under this Act.

(3) Have successfully completed requirements to practice as, and holds and maintains a current, national certification as, a nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, or certified registered nurse anesthetist from the appropriate national certifying body as determined by rule of the Department.

(4) Have obtained a graduate degree appropriate for national certification in a clinical advanced practice nursing specialty or a graduate degree or post-master's certificate from a graduate level program in a clinical advanced practice nursing specialty.

(5) Have not violated the provisions of this Act concerning the grounds for disciplinary action. The Department may take into consideration any felony conviction of the applicant, but such a conviction may not operate as an absolute bar to licensure.

(6) Submit to the criminal history records check required under Section 50-35 of this Act.

(b-5) A registered professional nurse seeking licensure as an advanced practice nurse in the category of certified registered nurse anesthetist who does not have a graduate degree as described in subsection (b) of this Section shall be qualified for licensure if that person:

(1) submits evidence of having successfully completed a nurse anesthesia program described in item (4) of subsection (b) of this Section prior to January 1, 1999;

(2) submits evidence of certification as a registered nurse anesthetist by an appropriate national certifying body; and

(3) has continually maintained active, up-to-date recertification status as a certified registered nurse anesthetist by an appropriate national recertifying body.

(b-10) The Department shall issue a certified registered nurse anesthetist license to an APN who (i) does not have a graduate degree, (ii) applies for licensure before July 1, 2018, and (iii) submits all of the following to the Department:

(1) His or her current State registered nurse license number.

(2) Proof of current national certification, which includes the completion of an examination from either of the following:

(A) the Council on Certification of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists; or

(B) the Council on Recertification of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists.

(3) Proof of the successful completion of a post-basic advanced practice formal education program in the area of nurse anesthesia prior to January 1, 1999.

(4) His or her complete work history for the 5-year period immediately preceding the date of his or her application.

(5) Verification of licensure as an advanced practice nurse from the state in which he or she was originally licensed, current state of licensure, and any other state in which he or she has been actively practicing as an advanced practice nurse within the 5-year period immediately preceding the date of his or her application. If applicable, this verification must state:

(A) the time during which he or she was licensed in each state, including the date of the original issuance of each license; and

(B) any disciplinary action taken or pending concerning any nursing license held, currently or in the past, by the applicant.

(6) The required fee.

(c) Those applicants seeking licensure in more than one advanced practice nursing specialty need not possess multiple graduate degrees. Applicants may be eligible for licenses for multiple advanced practice nurse licensure specialties, provided that the applicant (i) has met the requirements for at least one advanced practice nursing specialty under paragraphs (3) and (5) of subsection (a) of this Section, (ii) possesses an additional graduate education that results in a certificate for another clinical advanced practice nurse specialty and that meets the requirements for the national certification from the appropriate nursing specialty, and (iii) holds a current national certification from the appropriate national certifying body for that additional advanced practice nursing specialty.

(d) Any person who holds a valid license as an advanced practice nurse issued under this Act as this Act existed before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly shall be subject only to the advanced practice nurse license renewal requirements of this Act as this Act exists on and after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly upon the expiration of that license.

(Source: P.A. 95-639, eff. 10-5-07; 96-189, eff. 8-10-09.)