(225 ILCS 110/8.5)
    (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 103-302)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2028)
    Sec. 8.5. Qualifications for licenses as a speech-language pathology assistant. A person is qualified to be licensed as a speech-language pathology assistant if that person has applied in writing or electronically on forms prescribed by the Department, has paid the required fees, and meets both of the following criteria:
        (1) Is of good moral character. In determining moral character, the Department may take
    
into consideration any felony conviction or plea of guilty or nolo contendere of the applicant, but such a conviction or plea shall not operate automatically as a complete bar to licensure.
        (2) Has received either (i) an associate degree from a speech-language pathology
    
assistant program that has been approved by the Department and that meets the minimum requirements set forth in Section 8.6 or (ii) a bachelor's degree and has completed course work from an accredited college or university that meets the minimum requirements set forth in Section 8.6.
(Source: P.A. 100-530, eff. 1-1-18.)
 
    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 103-302)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2028)
    Sec. 8.5. Qualifications for licenses as a speech-language pathology assistant. A person is qualified to be licensed as a speech-language pathology assistant if that person has applied in writing or electronically on forms prescribed by the Department, has paid the required fees, and meets both of the following criteria:
        (1) Is of good moral character. In determining moral character, the Department may take
    
into consideration any felony conviction or plea of guilty or nolo contendere of the applicant, but such a conviction or plea shall not operate automatically as a complete bar to licensure.
        (2) Has received either (i) an associate degree from a speech-language pathology
    
assistant program that has been approved by the Department and that meets the minimum requirements set forth in Section 8.6, (ii) a bachelor's degree and has completed course work from an accredited college or university that meets the minimum requirements set forth in Section 8.6, or (iii) a bachelor's degree in speech-language pathology or communication sciences and disorders from a regionally or nationally accredited institution approved by the Department, and evidence of completion of at least 100 hours of documented field work supervised by a licensed speech-language pathologist that is comparable to that completed in a speech-language pathology assistant program in this State.
(Source: P.A. 103-302, eff. 1-1-24.)