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1 | AN ACT concerning health care workers.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The Health Care Worker Background Check Act is | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | amended by changing Sections 30, 40, 45, and 50 as follows:
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6 | (225 ILCS 46/30)
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7 | Sec. 30. Non-fingerprint based UCIA Criminal records | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | check.
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9 | (a) Beginning on January 1, 1997,
An educational entity, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | other than a secondary school, conducting a nurse aide
training | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | program must initiate
a UCIA criminal history records
check and | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | have a search of the Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | history records database conducted prior to entry of an | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | individual into the training program. A nurse aide
seeking to | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | be included on the nurse aide registry shall authorize
the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | Department of Public Health
or its
designee that tests nurse | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | aides or the health care employer or its designee
to
request | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | the
a criminal history record check pursuant to this Section
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | the Uniform Conviction
Information Act (UCIA) for each nurse | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | aide applying for inclusion on the State
nurse
aide registry. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | Any nurse aide not
submitting the required authorization and
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | information for the record check will not be added to the State | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
23 | nurse
aide registry. A nurse aide will not be entered on the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
24 | State nurse aide
registry if the results of the record check | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
25 | indicate
report from the Department of State Police indicates
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
26 | that the
nurse aide has a record of conviction of any of the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
27 | criminal offenses
enumerated in Section 25 unless the nurse | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
28 | aide's identity is validated and
it is
determined that the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
29 | nurse aide does
not have a disqualifying criminal history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
30 | record
based upon a
fingerprint-based records check pursuant to | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
31 | Section 35 or the
nurse aide receives a waiver pursuant to | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
32 | Section 40.
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1 | (b) The Department of Public Health shall notify each | ||||||
2 | health care
employer inquiring as
to the information on the | ||||||
3 | State nurse aide registry of the date of the nurse
aide's last | ||||||
4 | UCIA criminal history record check. If it has been more than | ||||||
5 | one
year since the records check, the health care employer must | ||||||
6 | initiate or have
initiated on his or her behalf a UCIA
criminal | ||||||
7 | history record check and have a search of the Federal Bureau of | ||||||
8 | Investigation criminal history records database conducted for | ||||||
9 | the nurse
aide pursuant to this Section. The health care | ||||||
10 | employer must send a copy of
the results of the record check to | ||||||
11 | the State nurse aide registry for
an individual employed as a | ||||||
12 | nurse aide.
| ||||||
13 | (c) Beginning January 1, 1996, A health care employer who | ||||||
14 | makes a
conditional offer of employment to an applicant other | ||||||
15 | than a nurse
aide for position with duties that involve direct | ||||||
16 | care for clients, patients,
or residents must initiate or have | ||||||
17 | initiated on his or her behalf a UCIA
criminal history record | ||||||
18 | check and have a search of the Federal Bureau of Investigation | ||||||
19 | criminal history records database conducted for that
| ||||||
20 | applicant.
| ||||||
21 | (d) No later than January 1, 1997, A health care employer | ||||||
22 | must initiate or
have initiated on his or her behalf a
UCIA | ||||||
23 | criminal history record check and have a search of the Federal | ||||||
24 | Bureau of Investigation criminal history records database | ||||||
25 | conducted for all
employees other than those enumerated in | ||||||
26 | subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this
Section with duties that | ||||||
27 | involve direct care for clients, patients, or
residents.
A | ||||||
28 | health care employer having actual knowledge from a source | ||||||
29 | other than a
non-fingerprint check that an employee has been
| ||||||
30 | convicted of committing or attempting to commit one of the | ||||||
31 | offenses enumerated
in Section 25 of this Act must initiate a | ||||||
32 | fingerprint-based background check
within 10
working days of | ||||||
33 | acquiring that knowledge. The employer may continue to
employ
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34 | that individual in a direct
care position, may reassign that | ||||||
35 | individual to a non-direct care position, or
may suspend the | ||||||
36 | individual until the results of the fingerprint-based
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1 | background check are received.
| ||||||
2 | (e) The criminal history records check shall be undertaken | ||||||
3 | after the fingerprinting of an
applicant in the form and manner | ||||||
4 | prescribed by the Department of State
Police.
The investigation | ||||||
5 | shall consist of a
criminal history records check performed by | ||||||
6 | the Department of State Police
and
the Federal Bureau of | ||||||
7 | Investigation, or some other entity that has the ability
to
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8 | check the applicant's fingerprints against the fingerprint | ||||||
9 | records
now and hereafter filed in the Department of State | ||||||
10 | Police and Federal Bureau of
Investigation criminal history | ||||||
11 | records databases.
The request for a UCIA criminal history | ||||||
12 | record check must be in the form
prescribed by the Department | ||||||
13 | of State
Police.
| ||||||
14 | (f) The applicant or employee must be notified of the | ||||||
15 | following whenever a
criminal history records
non-fingerprint
| ||||||
16 | check is made:
| ||||||
17 | (i) that the health care employer shall request or have | ||||||
18 | requested on his
or her behalf a UCIA criminal history
| ||||||
19 | record check and have a search of the Federal Bureau of | ||||||
20 | Investigation criminal history records database conducted
| ||||||
21 | pursuant to this Act;
| ||||||
22 | (ii) that the applicant or employee has a right to | ||||||
23 | obtain a copy of the
criminal records report from the | ||||||
24 | health care employer, challenge the
accuracy and | ||||||
25 | completeness of the report,
and request a waiver under | ||||||
26 | Section 40 of this Act;
| ||||||
27 | (iii) that the applicant, if hired conditionally, may | ||||||
28 | be terminated if the
criminal records report indicates that | ||||||
29 | the applicant has a record of conviction
of any of the | ||||||
30 | criminal offenses enumerated in Section 25 unless the | ||||||
31 | applicant's
identity is validated and it
is determined that | ||||||
32 | the applicant does
not have a
disqualifying criminal | ||||||
33 | history record
based on a fingerprint-based records check | ||||||
34 | pursuant to
Section 35 .
| ||||||
35 | (iv) that the applicant, if not hired conditionally, | ||||||
36 | shall not be hired if
the criminal records report indicates |
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1 | that the applicant has a record of
conviction of any of the | ||||||
2 | criminal offenses enumerated in Section 25 unless the
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3 | applicant's record is cleared based on a fingerprint-based | ||||||
4 | records check
pursuant to Section 35 .
| ||||||
5 | (v) that the employee may be terminated if the criminal | ||||||
6 | records report
indicates that the employee has a record of | ||||||
7 | conviction of any of the criminal
offenses enumerated in | ||||||
8 | Section 25 unless the employee's
record is cleared
based on | ||||||
9 | a fingerprint-based records check pursuant to Section 35 .
| ||||||
10 | (g) A health care employer may conditionally employ an | ||||||
11 | applicant to provide
direct care
for
up to 3 months pending the | ||||||
12 | results of a UCIA criminal history record check under this | ||||||
13 | Section .
| ||||||
14 | (h) An employer need not initiate an additional criminal | ||||||
15 | background check for an employee if the employer initiated a | ||||||
16 | criminal background history records check for the employee | ||||||
17 | within one year before the effective date of this amendatory | ||||||
18 | Act of the 93rd General Assembly. Any person newly employed on | ||||||
19 | or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd | ||||||
20 | General Assembly must receive a background check as required by | ||||||
21 | this Section.
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22 | (Source: P.A. 91-598, eff. 1-1-00.)
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23 | (225 ILCS 46/40)
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24 | Sec. 40. Waiver.
| ||||||
25 | (a) (Blank).
An applicant, employee, or nurse aide may | ||||||
26 | request a waiver of the
prohibition against
employment by | ||||||
27 | submitting the following information to the entity responsible
| ||||||
28 | for inspecting, licensing, certifying, or registering the | ||||||
29 | health care employer
within 5 working days after the receipt of | ||||||
30 | the criminal records
report:
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31 | (1) Information necessary to initiate a | ||||||
32 | fingerprint-based UCIA
criminal records check in a form and | ||||||
33 | manner prescribed by the
Department of State Police; and
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34 | (2) The fee for a fingerprint-based UCIA criminal | ||||||
35 | records
check, which shall not exceed the actual cost of |
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1 | the record check.
| ||||||
2 | (a-5) (Blank).
The entity responsible for inspecting, | ||||||
3 | licensing, certifying, or
registering the health care employer | ||||||
4 | may accept the results of the
fingerprint-based UCIA criminal | ||||||
5 | records check instead of the items required by
paragraphs (1) | ||||||
6 | and (2) of subsection (a).
| ||||||
7 | (b) The entity responsible for inspecting, licensing, | ||||||
8 | certifying, or
registering the health care employer may grant a | ||||||
9 | waiver based upon any
mitigating circumstances, which may | ||||||
10 | include, but need not be limited to:
| ||||||
11 | (1) The age of the individual at which the crime was | ||||||
12 | committed;
| ||||||
13 | (2) The circumstances surrounding the crime;
| ||||||
14 | (3) The length of time since the conviction;
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15 | (4) The applicant or employee's criminal history since | ||||||
16 | the conviction;
| ||||||
17 | (5) The applicant or employee's work history;
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18 | (6) The applicant or employee's current employment | ||||||
19 | references;
| ||||||
20 | (7) The applicant or employee's character references;
| ||||||
21 | (8) Nurse aide registry records; and
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22 | (9) Other evidence demonstrating the ability of the | ||||||
23 | applicant or employee
to perform the employment | ||||||
24 | responsibilities competently and evidence that the
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25 | applicant or employee does not pose a threat to the health | ||||||
26 | or safety of
residents, patients, or clients.
| ||||||
27 | (c) The entity responsible for inspecting, licensing, | ||||||
28 | certifying, or
registering a health care employer must inform | ||||||
29 | the health care employer
if a waiver is being sought and must | ||||||
30 | act upon the waiver request within 30 days
of
receipt of all | ||||||
31 | necessary information, as defined by rule.
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32 | (d) An individual shall not be employed in a direct care | ||||||
33 | position from the
time that the employer receives the results | ||||||
34 | of a criminal history records
non-fingerprint check
containing | ||||||
35 | disqualifying conditions until the time that the individual | ||||||
36 | receives
a waiver from the Department. If the individual |
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1 | challenges the
results of the
non-fingerprint check, the | ||||||
2 | employer may continue to employ the individual in a
direct care | ||||||
3 | position if the individual presents convincing evidence to the
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4 | employer that the non-fingerprint check is invalid. If the | ||||||
5 | individual
challenges the results of the non-fingerprint | ||||||
6 | check, his or her identity shall
be validated by a | ||||||
7 | fingerprint-based records check in accordance with Section
35.
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8 | (e) The entity responsible for inspecting, licensing,
| ||||||
9 | certifying, or
registering the health care employer shall be | ||||||
10 | immune from liability for any
waivers granted under this | ||||||
11 | Section.
| ||||||
12 | (f) A health care employer is not obligated to employ or | ||||||
13 | offer
permanent
employment to an applicant, or to retain an | ||||||
14 | employee who is granted a waiver
under this Section.
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15 | (Source: P.A. 91-598, eff. 1-1-00.)
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16 | (225 ILCS 46/45)
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17 | Sec. 45. Application fees. Except as otherwise provided in | ||||||
18 | this Act, the
applicant or
employee, other than a nurse aide, | ||||||
19 | may be required to pay all related
application and | ||||||
20 | fingerprinting fees
including, but not limited to, the amounts | ||||||
21 | required
established by the UCIA to conduct
UCIA criminal | ||||||
22 | history record checks and the
amounts
established by the | ||||||
23 | Department of State Police
to process the
fingerprint-based | ||||||
24 | UCIA criminal records checks required by this Act . If a
health | ||||||
25 | care employer certified to participate in the Medicaid program | ||||||
26 | pays the
fees, the fees shall be
a direct pass-through on the | ||||||
27 | cost report submitted by the employer to the
Medicaid agency.
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28 | (Source: P.A. 89-197, eff. 7-21-95.)
| ||||||
29 | (225 ILCS 46/50)
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30 | Sec. 50. Health care employer files. The health care | ||||||
31 | employer shall
retain on file for a period of
5 years records | ||||||
32 | of criminal records requests for all employees. The health
care | ||||||
33 | employer shall retain the results of the UCIA
criminal history | ||||||
34 | records check and waiver, if appropriate, for the duration of
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1 | the individual's employment. The files shall be
subject to | ||||||
2 | inspection by the agency
responsible for inspecting, | ||||||
3 | licensing, or certifying the health care employer.
A fine of up | ||||||
4 | to $500 may be imposed by the appropriate agency for failure to
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5 | maintain these records.
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6 | (Source: P.A. 89-197, eff. 7-21-95; 89-674, eff. 8-14-96.)
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7 | (225 ILCS 46/35 rep.)
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8 | Section 10. The Health Care Worker Background Check Act is | ||||||
9 | amended by repealing Section 35.
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10 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
11 | becoming law.
|