SB0731eng 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0731 Engrossed LRB099 05939 MLM 25988 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 4.26 and by adding Section 4.36 as follows:

(5 ILCS 80/4.26)

Sec. 4.26. Acts repealed on January 1, 2016. The following Acts are repealed on January 1, 2016:

The Illinois Athletic Trainers Practice Act.

The Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act.

The Illinois Dental Practice Act.

The Collection Agency Act.

The Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding, and Nail Technology Act of 1985.

The Respiratory Care Practice Act.

The Hearing Instrument Consumer Protection Act.

The Illinois Physical Therapy Act.

The Professional Geologist Licensing Act.

(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08; 96-1246, eff. 1-1-11.)

(5 ILCS 80/4.36 new)

Sec. 4.36. Act repealed on January 1, 2026. The following Act is repealed on January 1, 2026:

The Hearing Instrument Consumer Protection Act.

Section 10. The Hearing Instrument Consumer Protection Act is amended by changing Sections 5, 8, 15, and 17 as follows:

(225 ILCS 50/5) (from Ch. 111, par. 7405)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2016)

Sec. 5. License required. No person shall engage in the selling, practice of testing, fitting, selecting, recommending, adapting, dispensing, or servicing hearing instruments or display a sign, advertise, or represent oneself as a person who practices the fitting or selling of hearing instruments unless such person holds a current license issued by the Department as provided in this Act. Such person shall be known as a licensed hearing instrument dispenser. Individuals licensed pursuant to the provisions of Section 8 of this Act shall be deemed qualified to provide tests of human hearing and hearing instrument evaluations for the purpose of dispensing a hearing instrument for which any State agency may contract. The license shall be conspicuously displayed in the place of business. Duplicate licenses shall be issued by the Department to licensees operating more than one office upon the additional payment set forth in this Act. No hearing instrument manufacturer may distribute, sell, or otherwise provide hearing instruments to any unlicensed hearing care professional for the purpose of selling hearing instruments to the consumer.

Except for violations of the provisions of this Act, or the rules promulgated under it, nothing in this Act shall prohibit a corporation, partnership, trust, association, or other entity from engaging in the business of testing, fitting, servicing, selecting, dispensing, selling, or offering for sale hearing instruments at retail without a license, provided it employs only licensed individuals in the direct testing, fitting, servicing, selecting, offering for sale, or dispensing of such products. Each such corporation, partnership, trust, association, or other entity shall file with the Department, prior to doing business in this State and by July 1 of each calendar year thereafter, on forms prescribed by the Department, a list of all licensed hearing instrument dispensers employed by it and a statement attesting that it complies with this Act and the rules promulgated under it and the regulations of the Federal Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission insofar as they are applicable.

(Source: P.A. 89-72, eff. 12-31-95; 90-655, eff. 7-30-98.)

(225 ILCS 50/8) (from Ch. 111, par. 7408)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2016)

Sec. 8. Applicant qualifications; examination.

(a) In order to protect persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, the Department shall authorize or shall conduct an appropriate examination, which may be the International Hearing Society's licensure examination, for persons who dispense, test, select, recommend, fit, or service hearing instruments. The frequency of holding these examinations shall be determined by the Department by rule. Those who successfully pass such an examination shall be issued a license as a hearing instrument dispenser, which shall be effective for a 2-year period.

(b) Applicants shall be:

(1) at least 18 years of age;

(2) of good moral character;

(3) the holder of an associate's degree or the equivalent;

(4) free of contagious or infectious disease; and

(5) a citizen or person who has the status as a legal alien.

Felony convictions of the applicant and findings against the applicant involving matters set forth in Sections 17 and 18 shall be considered in determining moral character, but such a conviction or finding shall not make an applicant ineligible to register for examination.

(c) Prior to engaging in the practice of fitting, dispensing, or servicing hearing instruments, an applicant shall demonstrate, by means of written and practical examinations, that such person is qualified to practice the testing, selecting, recommending, fitting, selling, or servicing of hearing instruments as defined in this Act. An applicant must obtain a license within 12 months after passing either the written or practical examination, whichever is passed first, or must take and pass those examinations again in order to be eligible to receive a license.

The Department shall, by rule, determine the conditions under which an individual is examined.

(d) Proof of having met the minimum requirements of continuing education as determined by the Board shall be required of all license renewals. Pursuant to rule, the continuing education requirements may, upon petition to the Board, be waived in whole or in part if the hearing instrument dispenser can demonstrate that he or she served in the Coast Guard or Armed Forces, had an extreme hardship, or obtained his or her license by examination or endorsement within the preceding renewal period.

(e) Persons applying for an initial license must demonstrate having earned, at a minimum, an associate degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution of higher education that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or that meets the U.S. Department of Education equivalency as determined through a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) member, and meet the other requirements of this Section. In addition, the applicant must demonstrate the successful completion of 12 semester hours or 18 quarter hours of academic undergraduate course work in an accredited institution consisting of 3 semester hours of anatomy and physiology of the speech and hearing mechanism, 3 semester hours of hearing science, 3 semester hours of introduction to audiology, and 3 semester hours of aural rehabilitation, or the quarter hour equivalent. Persons licensed before January 1, 2003 who have a valid license on that date may have their license renewed without meeting the requirements of this subsection.

(Source: P.A. 98-827, eff. 1-1-15.)

(225 ILCS 50/15) (from Ch. 111, par. 7415)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2016)

Sec. 15. Fees.

(a) The examination and licensure fees paid to the Department are not refundable and shall be set forth by administrative rule. The Department may require a fee for the administration of the examination in addition to examination and licensure fees.

(b) The moneys received as fees and fines by the Department under this Act shall be deposited in the Hearing Instrument Dispenser Examining and Disciplinary Fund, which is hereby created as a special fund in the State Treasury, and shall be used only for the administration and enforcement of this Act, including: (1) costs directly related to licensing of persons under this Act; and (2) by the Board in the exercise of its powers and performance of its duties, and such use shall be made by the Department with full consideration of all recommendations of the Board.

All moneys deposited in the Fund shall be appropriated to the Department for expenses of the Department and the Board in the administration and enforcement of this Act.

Moneys in the Fund may be invested and reinvested, with all earnings deposited in the Fund and used for the purposes set forth in this Act.

Upon the completion of any audit of the Department as prescribed by the Illinois State Auditing Act, which audit shall include an audit of the Fund, the Department shall make a copy of the audit open to inspection by any interested person, which copy shall be submitted to the Department by the Auditor General, in addition to the copies of audit reports required to be submitted to other State officers and agencies by Section 3-14 of the Illinois State Auditing Act.

(Source: P.A. 96-683, eff. 1-1-10.)

(225 ILCS 50/17) (from Ch. 111, par. 7417)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2016)

Sec. 17. Duties of the Board. The Board shall advise the Department in all matters relating to this Act and shall assist as requested by the Director.

The Board shall respond to issues and problems relating to the improvement of services to the deaf or hard of hearing and shall make such recommendations as it considers advisable. It shall file an annual report with the Director and shall meet at least twice a year. The Board may meet at any time at the call of the chair.

The Board shall recommend specialized education programs for persons wishing to become licensed as hearing instrument dispensers and shall, by rule, establish minimum standards of continuing education required for license renewal. No more than 5 hours of continuing education credit per year, however, can be obtained through programs sponsored by hearing instrument manufacturers. A minimum of 2 hours of continuing education credit per licensing period must be obtained in Illinois law and ethics. Continuing education offered by a college, university, or bar association, the International Hearing Society, the American Academy of Audiology, the Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Illinois Academy of Audiology, or the Illinois Hearing Society regarding Illinois law and ethics shall be accepted toward satisfaction of the Illinois law and ethics continuing education requirement.

The Board shall hear charges brought by any person against hearing instrument dispensers and shall recommend disciplinary action to the Director.

Members of the Board are immune from liability in any action based upon a licensing proceeding or other act performed in good faith as a member of the Board.

(Source: P.A. 98-827, eff. 1-1-15.)

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