Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SB0837
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Full Text of SB0837  99th General Assembly

SB0837ham001 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Michael J. Zalewski

Filed: 4/29/2015

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 837

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 837 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The Regulatory Sunset Act is amended by
5changing Section 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 Acts repealed on January 1, 2016.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8Acts are repealed on January 1, 2016: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.

 

 

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1    The Illinois Physical Therapy Act.
2    The Professional Geologist Licensing Act.
3(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08;
496-1246, eff. 1-1-11.)
 
5    (5 ILCS 80/4.36 new)
6    Sec. 4.36. Act repealed on January 1, 2026. The following
7Act is repealed on January 1, 2026:
8    The Illinois Physical Therapy Act.
 
9    Section 10. The Illinois Physical Therapy Act is amended by
10changing Sections 1, 8, 12, and 16.2 and by adding Sections
112.5, 19.5, and 31.5 as follows:
 
12    (225 ILCS 90/1)  (from Ch. 111, par. 4251)
13    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2016)
14    Sec. 1. Definitions. As used in this Act:
15    (1) "Physical therapy" means all of the following:
16        (A) Examining, evaluating, and testing individuals who
17    may have mechanical, physiological, or developmental
18    impairments, functional limitations, disabilities, or
19    other health and movement-related conditions, classifying
20    these disorders, determining a rehabilitation prognosis
21    and plan of therapeutic intervention, and assessing the
22    on-going effects of the interventions.
23        (B) Alleviating impairments, functional limitations,

 

 

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1    or disabilities by designing, implementing, and modifying
2    therapeutic interventions that may include, but are not
3    limited to, the evaluation or treatment of a person through
4    the use of the effective properties of physical measures
5    and heat, cold, light, water, radiant energy, electricity,
6    sound, and air and use of therapeutic massage, therapeutic
7    exercise, mobilization, and rehabilitative procedures,
8    with or without assistive devices, for the purposes of
9    preventing, correcting, or alleviating a physical or
10    mental impairment, functional limitation, or disability.
11        (C) Reducing the risk of injury, impairment,
12    functional limitation, or disability, including the
13    promotion and maintenance of fitness, health, and
14    wellness.
15        (D) Engaging in administration, consultation,
16    education, and research.
17    Physical therapy includes, but is not limited to: (a)
18performance of specialized tests and measurements, (b)
19administration of specialized treatment procedures, (c)
20interpretation of referrals from physicians, dentists,
21advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, and podiatric
22physicians, (d) establishment, and modification of physical
23therapy treatment programs, (e) administration of topical
24medication used in generally accepted physical therapy
25procedures when such medication is either prescribed by the
26patient's physician, licensed to practice medicine in all its

 

 

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

 

 

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1    (5) "Board" means the Physical Therapy Licensing and
2Disciplinary Board approved by the Director.
3    (6) "Referral" means a written or oral authorization for
4physical therapy services for a patient by a physician,
5dentist, advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, or
6podiatric physician who maintains medical supervision of the
7patient and makes a diagnosis or verifies that the patient's
8condition is such that it may be treated by a physical
9therapist.
10    (7) "Documented current and relevant diagnosis" for the
11purpose of this Act means a diagnosis, substantiated by
12signature or oral verification of a physician, dentist,
13advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, or podiatric
14physician, that a patient's condition is such that it may be
15treated by physical therapy as defined in this Act, which
16diagnosis shall remain in effect until changed by the
17physician, dentist, advanced practice nurse, physician
18assistant, or podiatric physician.
19    (8) "State" includes:
20        (a) the states of the United States of America;
21        (b) the District of Columbia; and
22        (c) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
23    (9) "Physical therapist assistant" means a person licensed
24to assist a physical therapist and who has met all requirements
25as provided in this Act and who works under the supervision of
26a licensed physical therapist to assist in implementing the

 

 

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1physical therapy treatment program as established by the
2licensed physical therapist. The patient care activities
3provided by the physical therapist assistant shall not include
4the interpretation of referrals, evaluation procedures, or the
5planning or major modification of patient programs.
6    (10) "Physical therapy aide" means a person who has
7received on the job training, specific to the facility in which
8he is employed, but who has not completed an approved physical
9therapist assistant program.
10    (11) "Advanced practice nurse" means a person licensed
11under the Nurse Practice Act who has a collaborative agreement
12with a collaborating physician that authorizes referrals to
13physical therapists.
14    (12) "Physician assistant" means a person licensed under
15the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987 who has been
16delegated authority to make referrals to physical therapists.
17(Source: P.A. 98-214, eff. 8-9-13.)
 
18    (225 ILCS 90/2.5 new)
19    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026)
20    Sec. 2.5. Unlicensed practice; violation; civil penalty.
21    (a) In addition to any other penalty provided by law, any
22person who practices, offers to practice, attempts to practice,
23or holds oneself out to practice as a physical therapist or
24assistant without being licensed under this Act shall, in
25addition to any other penalty provided by law, pay a civil

 

 

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1penalty to the Department in an amount not to exceed $10,000
2for each offense as determined by the Department. The civil
3penalty shall be assessed by the Department after a hearing is
4held in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Act
5regarding the provision of a hearing for the discipline of a
6licensee.
7    (b) The Department has the authority and power to
8investigate any and all unlicensed activity.
9    (c) The civil penalty shall be paid within 60 days after
10the effective date of the order imposing the civil penalty. The
11order shall constitute a judgment and may be filed and
12execution had thereon in the same manner as any judgment from
13any court of record.
 
14    (225 ILCS 90/8)  (from Ch. 111, par. 4258)
15    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2016)
16    Sec. 8. Qualifications for licensure as a Physical
17Therapist.
18    (a) A person is qualified to receive a license as a
19physical therapist if that person has applied in writing, on
20forms prescribed by the Department, has paid the required fees,
21and meets all of the following requirements:
22        (1) He or she is at least 21 18 years of age and of good
23    moral character. In determining moral character, the
24    Department may take into consideration any felony
25    conviction of the applicant, but such a conviction shall

 

 

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1    not operate automatically as a complete bar to a license.
2        (2) He or she has graduated from a curriculum in
3    physical therapy approved by the Department. In approving a
4    curriculum in physical therapy, the Department shall
5    consider, but not be bound by, accreditation by the
6    Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.
7    A person who graduated from a physical therapy program
8    outside the United States or its territories shall have his
9    or her degree validated as equivalent to a physical therapy
10    degree conferred by a regionally accredited college or
11    university in the United States. The Department may
12    establish by rule a method for the completion of course
13    deficiencies.
14        (3) He or she has passed an examination approved by the
15    Department to determine his fitness for practice as a
16    physical therapist, or is entitled to be licensed without
17    examination as provided in Sections 10 and 11 of this Act.
18    A person who graduated from a physical therapy program
19    outside the United States or its territories and whose
20    first language is not English shall submit certification of
21    passage of the Test of English as a Foreign Language
22    (TOEFL) and the Test of Spoken English (TSE) as defined by
23    rule prior to taking the licensure examination.
24    (b) The Department reserves the right and may request a
25personal interview of an applicant before the Board to further
26evaluate his or her qualifications for a license.

 

 

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1(Source: P.A. 94-651, eff. 1-1-06.)
 
2    (225 ILCS 90/12)  (from Ch. 111, par. 4262)
3    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2016)
4    Sec. 12. Examinations. The Department shall examine
5applicants for licenses as physical therapists or physical
6therapist assistants at such times and places as it may
7determine. At least 2 written examinations shall be given
8during each calendar year for both physical therapists and
9physical therapist assistants. The examination shall be
10approved by the Department.
11    Following notification of eligibility for examination, an
12applicant who fails to take the examination for a license under
13this Act within 60 days of the notification or on the next
14available exam date, if no exam is held within 60 days of the
15notification, shall forfeit his or her fee and his or her right
16to practice as a physical therapist or physical therapist
17assistant until such time as the applicant has passed the
18appropriate examination. Any applicant failing the examination
19three times in any jurisdiction will not be allowed to sit for
20another examination until the applicant has presented
21satisfactory evidence to the Board of appropriate remedial work
22as set forth in the rules and regulations.
23    If an applicant neglects, fails or refuses to take an
24examination or fails to pass an examination for a license or
25otherwise fails to complete the application process under this

 

 

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1Act within 3 years after filing his application, the
2application shall be denied. However, such applicant may make a
3new application for examination accompanied by the required
4fee, and must furnish proof of meeting qualifications for
5examination in effect at the time of new application.
6(Source: P.A. 94-651, eff. 1-1-06.)
 
7    (225 ILCS 90/16.2)
8    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2016)
9    Sec. 16.2. Deposit of fees and fines; appropriations. All
10fees, penalties, and fines collected under this Act shall be
11deposited into the General Professions Dedicated Fund and shall
12be . All moneys in the Fund shall be used by the Department of
13Professional Regulation, as appropriated to the Department ,
14for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Department in
15the administration of this Act.
16(Source: P.A. 89-387, eff. 1-1-96.)
 
17    (225 ILCS 90/19.5 new)
18    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026)
19    Sec. 19.5. Confidentiality. All information collected by
20the Department in the course of an examination or investigation
21of a licensee or applicant, including, but not limited to, any
22complaint against a licensee filed with the Department and
23information collected to investigate any such complaint, shall
24be maintained for the confidential use of the Department and

 

 

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1shall not be disclosed. The Department may not disclose the
2information to anyone other than law enforcement officials,
3other regulatory agencies that have an appropriate regulatory
4interest as determined by the Secretary of the Department, or a
5party presenting a lawful subpoena to the Department.
6Information and documents disclosed to a federal, State,
7county, or local law enforcement agency shall not be disclosed
8by the agency for any purpose to any other agency or person. A
9formal complaint filed by the Department against a licensee or
10applicant shall be a public record, except as otherwise
11prohibited by law.
 
12    (225 ILCS 90/31.5 new)
13    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026)
14    Sec. 31.5. Suspension of license for failure to pay
15restitution. The Department, without further process or
16hearing, shall suspend the license or other authorization to
17practice of any person issued under this Act who has been
18certified by court order as not having paid restitution to a
19person under Section 8A-3.5 of the Illinois Public Aid Code or
20under Section 17-10.5 or 46-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or
21the Criminal Code of 2012. A person whose license or other
22authorization to practice is suspended under this Section is
23prohibited from practicing until the restitution is made in
24full.
 

 

 

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1    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
2becoming law.".