(225 ILCS 443/115)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2028)

Sec. 115. Grounds for disciplinary action.

(a) The Commission may refuse to issue or renew any license and the Department may suspend or revoke any license or may place on probation, censure, reprimand, or take other disciplinary action deemed appropriate by the Department, including the imposition of fines not to exceed $2,500 for each violation, with regard to any license issued under this Act for any one or more of the following reasons:

(1) Material deception in furnishing information to the Commission or the Department.

(2) Violations or negligent or intentional disregard of any provision of this Act or its rules.

(3) For licensees, conviction of any crime under the laws of any jurisdiction of the United States that is a felony or a misdemeanor, an essential element of which is dishonesty, or that is directly related to the practice of interpreting. For applicants, consideration of such convictions shall be in accordance with Section 47.

(4) A pattern of practice or other behavior that demonstrates incapacity or incompetence to practice under this Act.

(5) Knowingly aiding or assisting another person in violating any provision of this Act or rules adopted thereunder.

(6) Failing, within 60 days, to provide a response to a request for information in response to a written request made by the Commission or the Department by certified mail.

(7) Engaging in dishonorable, unethical, or unprofessional conduct of a character likely to deceive, defraud, or harm the public.

(8) Habitual use of or addiction to alcohol, narcotics, stimulants, or any other chemical agent or drug that results in a licensee's inability to practice with reasonable judgment, skill, or safety.

(9) Discipline by another jurisdiction or foreign nation, if at least one of the grounds for the discipline is the same or substantially equivalent to those set forth in this Section.

(10) A finding that the licensee, after having his or her license placed on probationary status, has violated the terms of probation.

(11) Being named as a perpetrator in an indicated report by the Department of Children and Family Services under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act and upon proof by clear and convincing evidence that the licensee has caused a child to be an abused child or a neglected child, as defined in the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.

(12) Gross negligence in the practice of interpreting.

(13) Holding oneself out to be a practicing interpreter for the deaf under any name other than one's own.

(14) Knowingly allowing another person or organization to use the licensee's license to deceive the public.

(15) Attempting to subvert or cheat on an interpreter-related examination or evaluation.

(16) Immoral conduct in the commission of an act, such as sexual abuse, sexual misconduct, or sexual exploitation, related to the licensee's practice.

(17) Willfully violating State or federal confidentiality laws or the confidentiality between an interpreter and client, except as required by State or federal law.

(18) Practicing or attempting to practice interpreting under a name other than one's own.

(19) The use of any false, fraudulent, or deceptive statement in any document connected with the licensee's practice.

(20) Failure of a licensee to report to the Commission any adverse final action taken against him or her by another licensing jurisdiction, any peer review body, any professional deaf or hard of hearing interpreting association, any governmental Commission, by law enforcement Commission, or any court for a deaf or hard of hearing interpreting liability claim related to acts or conduct similar to acts or conduct that would constitute grounds for action as provided in this Section.

(21) Failure of a licensee to report to the Commission surrender by the licensee of his or her license or authorization to practice interpreting in another state or jurisdiction or current surrender by the licensee of membership in any deaf or hard of hearing interpreting association or society while under disciplinary investigation by any of those authorities or bodies for acts or conduct similar to acts or conduct that would constitute grounds for action as provided by this Section.

(22) Physical illness or injury including, but not limited to, deterioration through the aging process or loss of motor skill, mental illness, or disability that results in the inability to practice the profession with reasonable judgment, skill, or safety.

(23) Gross and willful overcharging for interpreter services, including filing false statements for collection of fees for which services have not been rendered.

(b) The Commission may refuse to issue or the Department may suspend the license of any person who fails to file a return, to pay the tax, penalty, or interest shown in a filed return, or to pay any final assessment of the tax, penalty, or interest as required by any tax Act administered by the Illinois Department of Revenue, until such time as the requirements of any such tax Act are satisfied.

(c) In enforcing this Section, the Commission, upon a showing of a possible violation, may compel an individual licensed under this Act, or who has applied for licensure under this Act, to submit to a mental or physical examination, or both, as required by and at the expense of the Commission. The Commission may order the examining physician to present testimony concerning the mental or physical examination of the licensee or applicant. No information shall be excluded by reason of any common law or statutory privilege relating to communications between the licensee or applicant and the examining physician. The Commission shall specifically designate the examining physicians. The individual to be examined may have, at his or her own expense, another physician of his or her choice present during all aspects of this examination. Failure of an individual to submit to a mental or physical examination, when directed, shall be grounds for suspension of his or her license until the individual submits to the examination if the Commission finds, after notice and hearing, that the refusal to submit to the examination was without reasonable cause.

If the Commission finds an individual unable to practice because of the reasons set forth in this subsection (c), the Commission may require that individual to submit to care, counseling, or treatment by physicians approved or designated by the Commission as a condition, term, or restriction for continued, reinstated, or renewed licensure to practice or, in lieu of care, counseling, or treatment, the Commission may file a complaint to immediately suspend, revoke, or otherwise discipline the license of the individual. An individual whose license was granted, continued, reinstated, renewed, disciplined, or supervised subject to such terms, conditions, or restrictions and who fails to comply with such terms, conditions, or restrictions, shall be referred to the Director for a determination as to whether the individual shall have his or her license suspended immediately, pending a hearing by the Department.

In instances in which the Director immediately suspends a person's license under this subsection (c), a hearing on that person's license must be convened by the Department within 15 days after the suspension and completed without appreciable delay. The Commission or the Department shall have the authority to review the subject individual's record of treatment and counseling regarding the impairment to the extent permitted by applicable State and federal statutes and regulations safeguarding the confidentiality of medical records.

An individual licensed under this Act and affected under this subsection (c) shall be afforded an opportunity to demonstrate to the Commission that he or she can resume practice in compliance with acceptable and prevailing standards under the provisions of his or her license.

(Source: P.A. 100-286, eff. 1-1-18.)