HB5523 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 20736 RTM 34239 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB5523

Introduced 2/13/2026, by Rep. Dennis Tipsword

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

50 ILCS 705/10.28 new
55 ILCS 5/3-6012.3 new
65 ILCS 5/10-4-15 new
210 ILCS 50/3.5
210 ILCS 50/3.50

Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board and the Department of Public Health shall jointly develop and establish a program of certification of tactical medical providers for the purpose of aiding special law enforcement teams involved in search and rescues, civil disturbances, bomb threat responses, tactical or special operations team deployments, hostage negotiations, hazardous material responses, executive and dignitary protection, counterterrorism, or other similar functions, as assigned and directed by a law enforcement agency that is recognized by the Board. Includes program requirements. Amends the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that chiefs of police and sheriffs may employ tactical medical providers and provide tactical medical provider support to first responders. Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act to make conforming changes.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning local government.

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

Section 5. The Illinois Police Training Act is amended by adding Section 10.28 as follows:

(50 ILCS 705/10.28 new)

Sec. 10.28. Tactical medical providers.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, the Board and the Department of Public Health shall jointly develop and establish a program of certification of tactical medical providers for the purpose of aiding special law enforcement teams involved in search and rescues, civil disturbances, bomb threat responses, tactical or special operations team deployments, hostage negotiations, hazardous material responses, executive and dignitary protection, counterterrorism, or other similar functions, as assigned and directed by a law enforcement agency that is recognized by the Board.

The Board, in conjunction with the Department of Public Health, may establish any fees necessary to fund the training and certification requirements of this Section and may establish other entities to provide training to meet all or a portion of the requirements of this Section.

(b) As part of the program of certification of tactical medical providers, the Board shall develop or approve a tactical medicine for special operators course. The course shall be overseen by the EMS Medical Director. A tactical medical provider may not work on a special response team until the tactical medical provider has completed the tactical medicine for special operators course.

(c) The tactical medical provider program certification requirements shall, at a minimum, require an applicant who is seeking the certification:

(1) to be an emergency medical technician, paramedic, physician, physician's assistant, nurse, or other medical professional licensed to practice in the State or to possess a suitable license as determined by the Board and the Department of Public Health;

(2) to have completed no less than a 40-hour basic firearms certification program recognized by the Board;

(3) to have completed no less than 50 hours of tactical medical training approved by the Board;

(4) to have attended no less than 40 hours of tactical and firearms training, including use of force training; and

(5) to operate within the EMS system in the State that is licensed by the Department of Public Health.

(d) The Board and the Department of Public Health shall establish annual requirements for certification of tactical medical providers, including proof that the tactical medical provider:

(1) holds a valid license or certification as a medical professional licensed or certified to practice in the State;

(2) operates within the EMS system in the State that is licensed by the Department of Public Health;

(3) completes, on an annual basis, no less than 50 hours of tactical medical training;

(4) completes, on an annual basis, no less than 40 hours of tactical and firearms training, including use of force training; and

(5) satisfies any additional qualifications or licensing, certification, or training standards deemed necessary by the Board and the Department of Public Health.

Section 10. The Counties Code is amended by adding Section 3-6012.3 as follows:

(55 ILCS 5/3-6012.3 new)

Sec. 3-6012.3. Tactical medical provider support. A sheriff may employ and provide tactical medical provider support to first responders with tactical medical providers certified under Section 10.28 of the Illinois Police Training Act. In addition to any other requirements, the tactical medical providers shall participate in routine, ongoing tactical and medical training with the first responders that the tactical medical providers shall support and shall meet any additional training, certification, and licensing standards that the sheriff deems appropriate.

Section 15. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by adding Section 10-4-15 as follows:

(65 ILCS 5/10-4-15 new)

Sec. 10-4-15. Tactical medical provider support. A municipality may provide tactical medical provider support to first responders with tactical medical providers certified under Section 10.28 of the Illinois Police Training Act. In addition to any other requirements, the tactical medical providers shall participate in routine, ongoing tactical and medical training with the first responders that the tactical medical providers shall support and shall meet any additional training, certification, and licensing standards that the chief of police deems appropriate.

Section 20. The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act is amended by changing Sections 3.5 and 3.50 as follows:

(210 ILCS 50/3.5)

Sec. 3.5. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Clinical observation" means the ongoing observation of a patient's medical or mental health condition by a licensed health care professional utilizing a medical skill set while continuing assessment and care.

"Department" means the Illinois Department of Public Health.

"Director" means the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health.

"Emergency" means a medical condition of recent onset and severity that would lead a prudent layperson, possessing an average knowledge of medicine and health, to believe that urgent or unscheduled medical care is required.

"Emergency Medical Services personnel" or "EMS personnel" means persons licensed as an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) (First Responder), Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediate (EMT-I), Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (A-EMT), Paramedic (EMT-P), Emergency Communications Registered Nurse (ECRN), Pre-Hospital Registered Nurse (PHRN), Pre-Hospital Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (PHAPRN), or Pre-Hospital Physician Assistant (PHPA), or Tactical Medical Providers (TMP).

"Exclusive representative" has the same meaning as defined in Section 3 of the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act.

"Health care facility" means a hospital, nursing home, physician's office or other fixed location at which medical and health care services are performed. It does not include "pre-hospital emergency care settings" which utilize EMS personnel to render pre-hospital emergency care prior to the arrival of a transport vehicle, as defined in this Act.

"Hospital" has the meaning ascribed to that term in the Hospital Licensing Act.

"Labor organization" has the same meaning as defined in Section 3 of the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act.

"Medical monitoring" means the performance of medical tests and physical exams to evaluate an individual's ongoing exposure to a factor that could negatively impact that person's health. "Medical monitoring" includes close surveillance or supervision of patients liable to suffer deterioration in physical or mental health and checks of various parameters such as pulse rate, temperature, respiration rate, the condition of the pupils, the level of consciousness and awareness, the degree of appreciation of pain, and blood gas concentrations such as oxygen and carbon dioxide.

"NREMT" means the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.

"Silver spanner program" means a program in which a member under a fire department's or fire protection district's collective bargaining agreement works on or at the EMS System under another fire department's or fire protection district's collective bargaining agreement and (i) the other fire department or fire protection district is not the member's full-time employer and (ii) any EMS services not included under the original fire department's or fire protection district's collective bargaining agreement are included in the other fire department's or fire protection district's collective bargaining agreement.

"Trauma" means any significant injury which involves single or multiple organ systems.

(Source: P.A. 103-521, eff. 1-1-24; 103-689, eff. 1-1-25; 104-362, eff. 8-15-25.)

(210 ILCS 50/3.50)

Sec. 3.50. Emergency Medical Services personnel licensure levels.

(a) "Emergency Medical Technician" or "EMT" means a person who has successfully completed a course in basic life support as approved by the Department, is currently licensed by the Department in accordance with standards prescribed by this Act and rules adopted by the Department pursuant to this Act, and practices within an EMS System. A valid Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B) license issued under this Act shall continue to be valid and shall be recognized as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) license until the Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B) license expires.

(b) "Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediate" or "EMT-I" means a person who has successfully completed a course in intermediate life support as approved by the Department, is currently licensed by the Department in accordance with standards prescribed by this Act and rules adopted by the Department pursuant to this Act, and practices within an Intermediate or Advanced Life Support EMS System.

(b-5) "Advanced Emergency Medical Technician" or "A-EMT" means a person who has successfully completed a course in basic and limited advanced emergency medical care as approved by the Department, is currently licensed by the Department in accordance with standards prescribed by this Act and rules adopted by the Department pursuant to this Act, and practices within an Intermediate or Advanced Life Support EMS System.

(c) "Paramedic (EMT-P)" means a person who has successfully completed a course in advanced life support care as approved by the Department, is licensed by the Department in accordance with standards prescribed by this Act and rules adopted by the Department pursuant to this Act, and practices within an Advanced Life Support EMS System. A valid Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic (EMT-P) license issued under this Act shall continue to be valid and shall be recognized as a Paramedic license until the Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic (EMT-P) license expires.

(c-3) "Tactical Medical Provider" means a person who has successfully completed certification under Section 10.28 of the Illinois Police Training Act.

(c-5) "Emergency Medical Responder" or "EMR (First Responder)" means a person who has successfully completed a course in emergency medical response as approved by the Department and provides emergency medical response services in accordance with the level of care established by the National EMS Educational Standards Emergency Medical Responder course as modified by the Department, or who provides services as part of an EMS System response plan, as approved by the Department, of that EMS System. The Department shall have the authority to adopt rules governing the curriculum, practice, and necessary equipment applicable to Emergency Medical Responders.

On August 15, 2014 (the effective date of Public Act 98-973), a person who is licensed by the Department as a First Responder and has completed a Department-approved course in first responder defibrillator training based on, or equivalent to, the National EMS Educational Standards or other standards previously recognized by the Department shall be eligible for licensure as an Emergency Medical Responder upon meeting the licensure requirements and submitting an application to the Department. A valid First Responder license issued under this Act shall continue to be valid and shall be recognized as an Emergency Medical Responder license until the First Responder license expires.

(c-10) All EMS Systems and licensees shall be fully compliant with the National EMS Education Standards, as modified by the Department in administrative rules, within 24 months after the adoption of the administrative rules.

(d) The Department shall have the authority and responsibility to:

(1) Prescribe education and training requirements, which includes training in the use of epinephrine, for all levels of EMS personnel except for EMRs, based on the National EMS Educational Standards and any modifications to those curricula specified by the Department through rules adopted pursuant to this Act.

(A) A failure rate per course of 30% or greater at the first attempt on the licensure examination shall require the EMS System to submit a quality improvement plan to the Department. The EMS System shall share failure rates with the EMS Lead Instructor quarterly. Neither the EMS System nor the Department may take licensure action against an EMS Lead Instructor based solely on first-attempt pass rates.

(B) Candidates shall complete the licensure examination within the timeline required by the NREMT.

(C) An accredited Paramedic program shall be conducted only by an EMS System or an academic institution whose curriculum has been approved by the EMS System. An EMS System associate hospital may allow students from an EMS System-approved and Department-approved Paramedic course to complete clinical rotations as approved by the EMS System Medical Director. The approval by the EMS System Medical Director may not be unreasonably denied.

(2) Prescribe licensure testing requirements for all levels of EMS personnel, which shall include a requirement that all phases of instruction, training, and field experience be completed before taking the appropriate licensure examination. Candidates shall take the appropriate National Registry examination. In prescribing licensure testing requirements for honorably discharged members of the armed forces of the United States under this paragraph (2), the Department shall ensure that a candidate's military emergency medical training, emergency medical curriculum completed, and clinical experience, as described in paragraph (2.5), are recognized.

(2.5) Review applications for EMS personnel licensure from honorably discharged members of the armed forces of the United States with military emergency medical training. Applications shall be filed with the Department within one year after military discharge and shall contain: (i) proof of successful completion of military emergency medical training; (ii) a detailed description of the emergency medical curriculum completed; and (iii) a detailed description of the applicant's clinical experience. The Department may request additional and clarifying information. The Department shall evaluate the application, including the applicant's training and experience, consistent with the standards set forth under subsections (a), (b), (c), and (d) of Section 3.10. If the application clearly demonstrates that the training and experience meet such standards, the Department shall offer the applicant the opportunity to successfully complete a Department-approved EMS personnel examination for the level of license for which the applicant is qualified. Upon passage of an examination, the Department shall issue a license, which shall be subject to all provisions of this Act that are otherwise applicable to the level of EMS personnel license issued.

(3) License individuals as an EMR, EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, or Paramedic who have met the Department's education, training and examination requirements.

(4) Prescribe annual continuing education and relicensure requirements for all EMS personnel licensure levels.

(5) Relicense individuals as an EMD, EMR, EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, PHRN, PHAPRN, PHPA, TMP, or Paramedic every 4 years, based on their compliance with continuing education and relicensure requirements as required by the Department pursuant to this Act. Every 4 years, a Paramedic shall have 100 hours of approved continuing education, an EMT-I and an advanced EMT shall have 80 hours of approved continuing education, and an EMT shall have 60 hours of approved continuing education. An Illinois licensed EMR, EMD, EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, Paramedic, ECRN, PHPA, TMP, PHAPRN, or PHRN whose license has been expired for less than 36 months may apply for reinstatement by the Department. Reinstatement shall require that the applicant (i) submit satisfactory proof of completion of continuing medical education and clinical requirements to be prescribed by the Department in an administrative rule; (ii) submit a positive recommendation from an Illinois EMS Medical Director attesting to the applicant's qualifications for retesting; and (iii) pass a Department approved test for the level of EMS personnel license sought to be reinstated.

(6) Grant inactive status to any EMR, EMD, EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, Paramedic, ECRN, PHAPRN, PHPA, TMP, or PHRN who qualifies, based on standards and procedures established by the Department in rules adopted pursuant to this Act.

(7) Charge a fee for EMS personnel examination, licensure, and license renewal.

(8) Suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue or renew the license of any licensee, after an opportunity for an impartial hearing before a neutral administrative law judge appointed by the Director, where the preponderance of the evidence shows one or more of the following:

(A) The licensee has not met continuing education or relicensure requirements as prescribed by the Department;

(B) The licensee has failed to maintain proficiency in the level of skills for which he or she is licensed;

(C) The licensee, during the provision of medical services, engaged in dishonorable, unethical, or unprofessional conduct of a character likely to deceive, defraud, or harm the public;

(D) The licensee has failed to maintain or has violated standards of performance and conduct as prescribed by the Department in rules adopted pursuant to this Act or his or her EMS System's Program Plan;

(E) The licensee is physically impaired to the extent that he or she cannot physically perform the skills and functions for which he or she is licensed, as verified by a physician, unless the person is on inactive status pursuant to Department regulations;

(F) The licensee is mentally impaired to the extent that he or she cannot exercise the appropriate judgment, skill and safety for performing the functions for which he or she is licensed, as verified by a physician, unless the person is on inactive status pursuant to Department regulations;

(G) The licensee has violated this Act or any rule adopted by the Department pursuant to this Act; or

(H) The licensee has been convicted (or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere) by a court of competent jurisdiction of a Class X, Class 1, or Class 2 felony in this State or an out-of-state equivalent offense.

(9) Prescribe education and training requirements in the administration and use of opioid antagonists for all levels of EMS personnel based on the National EMS Educational Standards and any modifications to those curricula specified by the Department through rules adopted pursuant to this Act.

(d-5) An EMR, EMD, EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, Paramedic, ECRN, PHAPRN, PHPA, TMP, or PHRN who is a member of the Illinois National Guard or an Illinois State Trooper or who exclusively serves as a volunteer for units of local government with a population base of less than 5,000 or as a volunteer for a not-for-profit organization that serves a service area with a population base of less than 5,000 may submit an application to the Department for a waiver of the fees described under paragraph (7) of subsection (d) of this Section on a form prescribed by the Department.

(d-10) A person who is not an EMS personnel may operate an EMS vehicle pursuant to this Act if the following requirements are met: (i) the person meets the requirements of Section 11-1421 of the Illinois Vehicle Code; (ii) 2 Department-licensed EMS personnel are present and have met educational requirements prescribed by the Department; and (iii) the clinical condition of the patient necessitates the involvement of additional licensed personnel to ensure appropriate assessment, treatment, and patient safety. If a waiver is issued by the Department, the person who is not an EMS personnel may operate the EMS vehicle if only one EMS personnel is present. Upon request, the Department may issue a retroactive waiver when appropriate.

The education requirements prescribed by the Department under this Section must allow for the suspension of those requirements in the case of a member of the armed services or reserve forces of the United States or a member of the Illinois National Guard who is on active duty pursuant to an executive order of the President of the United States, an act of the Congress of the United States, or an order of the Governor at the time that the member would otherwise be required to fulfill a particular education requirement. Such a person must fulfill the education requirement within 6 months after his or her release from active duty.

(e) In the event that any rule of the Department or an EMS Medical Director that requires testing for drug use as a condition of the applicable EMS personnel license conflicts with or duplicates a provision of a collective bargaining agreement that requires testing for drug use, that rule shall not apply to any person covered by the collective bargaining agreement.

(f) At the time of applying for or renewing his or her license, an applicant for a license or license renewal may submit an email address to the Department. The Department shall keep the email address on file as a form of contact for the individual. The Department shall send license renewal notices electronically and by mail to a licensee who provides the Department with his or her email address. The notices shall be sent at least 60 days prior to the expiration date of the license.

(Source: P.A. 104-362, eff. 8-15-25.)