SB1221eng 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB1221 Engrossed LRB101 04971 JRG 49980 b

AN ACT concerning regulation.

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

Section 5. The Regulatory Sunset Act is amended by changing Section 4.35 as follows:

(5 ILCS 80/4.35)

Sec. 4.35. Acts Act repealed on January 1, 2025. The following Acts are Act is repealed on January 1, 2025:

The Genetic Counselor Licensing Act.

The Medical Practice Act of 1987.

(Source: P.A. 98-813, eff. 1-1-15.)

(5 ILCS 80/4.29 rep.)

Section 10. The Regulatory Sunset Act is amended by repealing Section 4.29.

Section 15. The Medical Practice Act of 1987 is amended by changing Sections 21, 36, 38, 39, and 40 as follows:

(225 ILCS 60/21) (from Ch. 111, par. 4400-21)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on December 31, 2019)

Sec. 21. License renewal; reinstatement; inactive status; disposition and collection of fees.

(A) Renewal. The expiration date and renewal period for each license issued under this Act shall be set by rule. The holder of a license may renew the license by paying the required fee. The holder of a license may also renew the license within 90 days after its expiration by complying with the requirements for renewal and payment of an additional fee. A license renewal within 90 days after expiration shall be effective retroactively to the expiration date.

The Department shall attempt to provide through electronic means to each licensee under this Act, at least 60 days in advance of the expiration date of his or her license, a renewal notice. No such license shall be deemed to have lapsed until 90 days after the expiration date and after the Department has attempted to provide such notice as herein provided.

(B) Reinstatement. Any licensee who has permitted his or her license to lapse or who has had his or her license on inactive status may have his or her license reinstated by making application to the Department and filing proof acceptable to the Department of his or her fitness to have the license reinstated, including evidence certifying to active practice in another jurisdiction satisfactory to the Department, proof of meeting the continuing education requirements for one renewal period, and by paying the required reinstatement fee.

If the licensee has not maintained an active practice in another jurisdiction satisfactory to the Department, the Licensing Board shall determine, by an evaluation program established by rule, the applicant's fitness to resume active status and may require the licensee to complete a period of evaluated clinical experience and may require successful completion of a practical examination specified by the Licensing Board.

However, any registrant whose license has expired while he or she has been engaged (a) in Federal Service on active duty with the Army of the United States, the United States Navy, the Marine Corps, the Air Force, the Coast Guard, the Public Health Service or the State Militia called into the service or training of the United States of America, or (b) in training or education under the supervision of the United States preliminary to induction into the military service, may have his or her license reinstated without paying any lapsed renewal fees, if within 2 years after honorable termination of such service, training, or education, he or she furnishes to the Department with satisfactory evidence to the effect that he or she has been so engaged and that his or her service, training, or education has been so terminated.

(C) Inactive licenses. Any licensee who notifies the Department, in writing on forms prescribed by the Department, may elect to place his or her license on an inactive status and shall, subject to rules of the Department, be excused from payment of renewal fees until he or she notifies the Department in writing of his or her desire to resume active status.

Any licensee requesting reinstatement from inactive status shall be required to pay the current renewal fee, provide proof of meeting the continuing education requirements for the period of time the license is inactive not to exceed one renewal period, and shall be required to reinstate his or her license as provided in subsection (B).

Any licensee whose license is in an inactive status shall not practice in the State of Illinois.

(D) Disposition of monies collected. All monies collected under this Act by the Department shall be deposited in the Illinois State Medical Disciplinary Fund in the State Treasury, and used only for the following purposes: (a) by the Disciplinary Board and Licensing Board in the exercise of its powers and performance of its duties, as such use is made by the Department with full consideration of all recommendations of the Disciplinary Board and Licensing Board, (b) for costs directly related to persons licensed under this Act, and (c) for direct and allocable indirect costs related to the public purposes of the Department.

Moneys in the Fund may be transferred to the Professions Indirect Cost Fund as authorized under Section 2105-300 of the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois (20 ILCS 2105/2105-300).

The State Comptroller shall order and the State Treasurer shall transfer an amount equal to $1,100,000 from the Illinois State Medical Disciplinary Fund to the Local Government Tax Fund on each of the following dates: July 1, 2014, October 1, 2014, January 1, 2015, July 1, 2017, October 1, 2017, and January 1, 2018. These transfers shall constitute repayment of the $6,600,000 transfer made under Section 6z-18 of the State Finance Act.

All earnings received from investment of monies in the Illinois State Medical Disciplinary Fund shall be deposited in the Illinois State Medical Disciplinary Fund and shall be used for the same purposes as fees deposited in such Fund.

(E) Fees. The following fees are nonrefundable.

(1) Applicants for any examination shall be required to pay, either to the Department or to the designated testing service, a fee covering the cost of determining the applicant's eligibility and providing the examination. Failure to appear for the examination on the scheduled date, at the time and place specified, after the applicant's application for examination has been received and acknowledged by the Department or the designated testing service, shall result in the forfeiture of the examination fee.

(2) Before July 1, 2018, the fee for a license under Section 9 of this Act is $700. Beginning on July 1, 2018, the fee for a license under Section 9 of this Act is $500.

(3) Before July 1, 2018, the fee for a license under Section 19 of this Act is $700. Beginning on July 1, 2018, the fee for a license under Section 19 of this Act is $500.

(4) Before July 1, 2018, the fee for the renewal of a license for a resident of Illinois shall be calculated at the rate of $230 per year, and beginning on July 1, 2018, the fee for the renewal of a license shall be $167, except for licensees who were issued a license within 12 months of the expiration date of the license, before July 1, 2018, the fee for the renewal shall be $230, and beginning on July 1, 2018 that fee will be $167. Before July 1, 2018, the fee for the renewal of a license for a nonresident shall be calculated at the rate of $460 per year, and beginning on July 1, 2018, the fee for the renewal of a license for a nonresident shall be $250, except for licensees who were issued a license within 12 months of the expiration date of the license, before July 1, 2018, the fee for the renewal shall be $460, and beginning on July 1, 2018 that fee will be $250.

(5) The fee for the reinstatement of a license other than from inactive status, is $230. In addition, payment of all lapsed renewal fees not to exceed $1,400 is required.

(6) The fee for a 3-year temporary license under Section 17 is $230.

(7) The fee for the issuance of a duplicate license, for the issuance of a replacement license for a license which has been lost or destroyed, or for the issuance of a license with a change of name or address other than during the renewal period is $20. No fee is required for name and address changes on Department records when no duplicate license is issued.

(8) The fee to be paid for a license record for any purpose is $20.

(9) The fee to be paid to have the scoring of an examination, administered by the Department, reviewed and verified, is $20 plus any fees charged by the applicable testing service.

(10) The fee to be paid by a licensee for a wall certificate showing his or her license shall be the actual cost of producing the certificate as determined by the Department.

(11) The fee for a roster of persons licensed as physicians in this State shall be the actual cost of producing such a roster as determined by the Department.

(F) Any person who delivers a check or other payment to the Department that is returned to the Department unpaid by the financial institution upon which it is drawn shall pay to the Department, in addition to the amount already owed to the Department, a fine of $50. The fines imposed by this Section are in addition to any other discipline provided under this Act for unlicensed practice or practice on a nonrenewed license. The Department shall notify the person that payment of fees and fines shall be paid to the Department by certified check or money order within 30 calendar days of the notification. If, after the expiration of 30 days from the date of the notification, the person has failed to submit the necessary remittance, the Department shall automatically terminate the license or permit or deny the application, without hearing. If, after termination or denial, the person seeks a license or permit, he or she shall apply to the Department for reinstatement or issuance of the license or permit and pay all fees and fines due to the Department. The Department may establish a fee for the processing of an application for reinstatement of a license or permit to pay all expenses of processing this application. The Secretary may waive the fines due under this Section in individual cases where the Secretary finds that the fines would be unreasonable or unnecessarily burdensome.

(Source: P.A. 98-3, eff. 3-8-13; 98-1140, eff. 12-30-14; 99-909, eff. 12-16-16.)

(225 ILCS 60/36) (from Ch. 111, par. 4400-36)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on December 31, 2019)

Sec. 36. Investigation; notice.

(a) Upon the motion of either the Department or the Disciplinary Board or upon the verified complaint in writing of any person setting forth facts which, if proven, would constitute grounds for suspension or revocation under Section 22 of this Act, the Department shall investigate the actions of any person, so accused, who holds or represents that he or she holds they hold a license. Such person is hereinafter called the accused.

(b) The Department shall, before suspending, revoking, placing on probationary status, or taking any other disciplinary action as the Department may deem proper with regard to any license at least 30 days prior to the date set for the hearing, notify the accused in writing of any charges made and the time and place for a hearing of the charges before the Disciplinary Board, direct him or her them to file his or her their written answer thereto to the Disciplinary Board under oath within 20 days after the service on him or her them of such notice and inform him or her them that if he or she fails they fail to file such answer default will be taken against him or her them and his or her their license may be suspended, revoked, placed on probationary status, or have other disciplinary action, including limiting the scope, nature or extent of his or her their practice, as the Department may deem proper taken with regard thereto. The Department shall, at least 14 days prior to the date set for the hearing, notify in writing any person who filed a complaint against the accused of the time and place for the hearing of the charges against the accused before the Disciplinary Board and inform such person whether he or she may provide testimony at the hearing.

(c) Where a physician has been found, upon complaint and investigation of the Department, and after hearing, to have performed an abortion procedure in a wilful and wanton manner upon a woman who was not pregnant at the time such abortion procedure was performed, the Department shall automatically revoke the license of such physician to practice medicine in Illinois.

(d) Such written notice and any notice in such proceedings thereafter may be served by personal delivery, email to the respondent's email address of record, or mail to the respondent's delivery of the same, personally, to the accused person, or by mailing the same by registered or certified mail to the accused person's address of record.

(e) All information gathered by the Department during its investigation including information subpoenaed under Section 23 or 38 of this Act and the investigative file shall be kept for the confidential use of the Secretary, Disciplinary Board, the Medical Coordinators, persons employed by contract to advise the Medical Coordinator or the Department, the Disciplinary Board's attorneys, the medical investigative staff, and authorized clerical staff, as provided in this Act and shall be afforded the same status as is provided information concerning medical studies in Part 21 of Article VIII of the Code of Civil Procedure, except that the Department may disclose information and documents to a federal, State, or local law enforcement agency pursuant to a subpoena in an ongoing criminal investigation to a health care licensing body of this State or another state or jurisdiction pursuant to an official request made by that licensing body. Furthermore, information and documents disclosed to a federal, State, or local law enforcement agency may be used by that agency only for the investigation and prosecution of a criminal offense or, in the case of disclosure to a health care licensing body, only for investigations and disciplinary action proceedings with regard to a license issued by that licensing body.

(Source: P.A. 97-449, eff. 1-1-12; 97-622, eff. 11-23-11; 98-1140, eff. 12-30-14.)

(225 ILCS 60/38) (from Ch. 111, par. 4400-38)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on December 31, 2019)

Sec. 38. Subpoena; oaths.

(a) The Disciplinary Board or Department has power to subpoena and bring before it any person in this State and to take testimony either orally or by deposition, or both, with the same fees and mileage and in the same manner as is prescribed by law for judicial procedure in civil cases.

(b) The Disciplinary Board, upon a determination that probable cause exists that a violation of one or more of the grounds for discipline listed in Section 22 has occurred or is occurring, may subpoena the medical and hospital records of individual patients of physicians licensed under this Act, provided, that prior to the submission of such records to the Disciplinary Board, all information indicating the identity of the patient shall be removed and deleted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Disciplinary Board and Department shall possess the power to subpoena copies of hospital or medical records in mandatory report cases under Section 23 alleging death or permanent bodily injury when consent to obtain records is not provided by a patient or legal representative. Prior to submission of the records to the Disciplinary Board, all information indicating the identity of the patient shall be removed and deleted. All medical records and other information received pursuant to subpoena shall be confidential and shall be afforded the same status as is proved information concerning medical studies in Part 21 of Article VIII of the Code of Civil Procedure. The use of such records shall be restricted to members of the Disciplinary Board, the medical coordinators, and appropriate staff of the Department designated by the Disciplinary Board for the purpose of determining the existence of one or more grounds for discipline of the physician as provided for by Section 22 of this Act. Any such review of individual patients' records shall be conducted by the Disciplinary Board in strict confidentiality, provided that such patient records shall be admissible in a disciplinary hearing, before the Disciplinary Board, when necessary to substantiate the grounds for discipline alleged against the physician licensed under this Act, and provided further, that nothing herein shall be deemed to supersede the provisions of Part 21 of Article VIII of the "Code of Civil Procedure", as now or hereafter amended, to the extent applicable.

(c) The Secretary, hearing officer, and any member of the Disciplinary Board each have power to administer oaths at any hearing which the Disciplinary Board or Department is authorized by law to conduct.

(d) The Disciplinary Board, upon a determination that probable cause exists that a violation of one or more of the grounds for discipline listed in Section 22 has occurred or is occurring on the business premises of a physician licensed under this Act, may issue an order authorizing an appropriately qualified investigator employed by the Department to enter upon the business premises with due consideration for patient care of the subject of the investigation so as to inspect the physical premises and equipment and furnishings therein. No such order shall include the right of inspection of business, medical, or personnel records located on the premises. For purposes of this Section, "business premises" is defined as the office or offices where the physician conducts the practice of medicine. Any such order shall expire and become void five business days after its issuance by the Disciplinary Board. The execution of any such order shall be valid only during the normal business hours of the facility or office to be inspected.

(Source: P.A. 97-622, eff. 11-23-11; 98-1140, eff. 12-30-14.)

(225 ILCS 60/39) (from Ch. 111, par. 4400-39)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on December 31, 2019)

Sec. 39. Certified shorthand reporter; record. The Department, at its expense, shall provide a certified shorthand reporter to take down the testimony and preserve a record of all proceedings at the hearing of any case wherein a license may be revoked, suspended, placed on probationary status, or other disciplinary action taken with regard thereto. The notice of hearing, complaint and all other documents in the nature of pleadings and written motions filed in the proceedings, the transcript of testimony, the report of the hearing officer, exhibits, the report of the Licensing Board, and the orders of the Department constitute the record of the proceedings. The Department shall furnish a copy of the record to any person interested in such hearing upon payment of the fee required under Section 2105-115 of the Department of Professional Regulation Law (20 ILCS 2105/2105-115). The Department may contract for court reporting services, and, in the event it does so, the Department shall provide the name and contact information for the certified shorthand reporter who transcribed the testimony at a hearing to any person interested, who may obtain a copy of the record of any proceedings at a hearing upon payment of the fee specified by the certified shorthand reporter. This charge is in addition to any fee charged by the Department for certifying the record.

(Source: P.A. 100-429, eff. 8-25-17.)

(225 ILCS 60/40) (from Ch. 111, par. 4400-40)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on December 31, 2019)

Sec. 40. Findings and recommendations; rehearing.

(a) The Disciplinary Board shall present to the Secretary a written report of its findings and recommendations. A copy of such report shall be served upon the accused person, either personally or by registered or certified mail or email. Within 20 days after such service, the accused person may present to the Department his or her their motion, in writing, for a rehearing, which written motion shall specify the particular ground therefor. If the accused person orders and pays for a transcript of the record as provided in Section 39, the time elapsing thereafter and before such transcript is ready for delivery to them shall not be counted as part of such 20 days.

(b) At the expiration of the time allowed for filing a motion for rehearing, the Secretary may take the action recommended by the Disciplinary Board. Upon the suspension, revocation, placement on probationary status, or the taking of any other disciplinary action, including the limiting of the scope, nature, or extent of one's practice, deemed proper by the Department, with regard to the license or permit, the accused shall surrender his or her their license or permit to the Department, if ordered to do so by the Department, and upon his or her their failure or refusal so to do, the Department may seize the same.

(c) Each order of revocation, suspension, or other disciplinary action shall contain a brief, concise statement of the ground or grounds upon which the Department's action is based, as well as the specific terms and conditions of such action. This document shall be retained as a permanent record by the Disciplinary Board and the Secretary.

(d) The Department shall at least annually publish a list of the names of all persons disciplined under this Act in the preceding 12 months. Such lists shall be available by the Department on its website.

(e) In those instances where an order of revocation, suspension, or other disciplinary action has been rendered by virtue of a physician's physical illness, including, but not limited to, deterioration through the aging process, or loss of motor skill which results in a physician's inability to practice medicine with reasonable judgment, skill, or safety, the Department shall only permit this document, and the record of the hearing incident thereto, to be observed, inspected, viewed, or copied pursuant to court order.

(Source: P.A. 97-622, eff. 11-23-11; 98-1140, eff. 12-30-14.)

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