SB2382 Engrossed

LRB093 16068 AMC 41694 b






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    AN ACT concerning professional regulation.

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


 
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    Section 5. The Illinois Physical Therapy Act is amended  by 
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changing Sections 8 and 8.1 as follows:
 



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    (225 ILCS 90/8)  (from Ch. 111, par. 4258)



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    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2006)

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    Sec. 8. Qualifications for licensure as a Physical 
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Therapist. 

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    (a) A person is qualified to receive a license
as a 
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physical therapist if that person has applied in writing, on 
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forms
prescribed by the Department, has paid the required fees, 
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and meets all
of the following requirements:


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        (1) He or she is at least 18 years of age and of good 
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moral character.
In
determining moral character, the 
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Department may take into consideration any
felony 
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conviction of the applicant, but such a conviction shall 
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not operate
automatically as a complete bar to a license.


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        (2) He or she must have a  post-baccalaureate  degree  
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from  a
        college  or university physical therapy education 
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program approved by the Commission on Accreditation  in  
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Physical
 Therapy  Education.   A  person  who   graduated  from  a
 
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physical therapy program outside the United States or its
 
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territories   must   submit  evidence  that  his  or  her
 
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educational background is substantially equivalent  to  a
 
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post-baccalaureate    degree   from   a   Commission   on
 
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Accreditation  in  Physical  Therapy  Education  approved        
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physical therapy educational program and conferred  by  a        
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regionally accredited college or university in the United        
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States.
He or she has graduated from a curriculum in 
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physical therapy
approved by the Department.  In approving a 
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curriculum in physical therapy,
the Department shall 
 


 






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consider, but not be bound by, accreditation by
the 
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Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.

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A person who graduated from a physical therapy program 
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outside the United
States or its territories shall have his 
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or her degree validated as equivalent
to a physical therapy 
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degree conferred by a regionally accredited college or

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university in the United States.  The Department may 
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establish by rule a method
for the completion of course 
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deficiencies.


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        (3) He or she has passed an examination approved by the 
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Department to
determine
his fitness for practice as a 
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physical therapist, or is entitled to be licensed
without 
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examination as provided in Sections 10 and 11 of this Act.

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A person who graduated from a physical therapy program 
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outside the United
States or its territories and whose 
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first language is not English shall submit
certification of 
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passage of the Test of English as a Foreign Language 
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(TOEFL)
and the Test of Spoken English (TSE) as defined by 
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rule prior to taking the
licensure examination.

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    (b) The Department reserves the right and may request a 
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personal
interview of an applicant before the Committee to 
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further evaluate
his or her qualifications for a license.

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(Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99.)

 



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    (225 ILCS 90/8.1)  (from Ch. 111, par. 4258.1)



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    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2006)

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    Sec. 8.1. Qualifications for licensure as
a physical 
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therapist assistant.  A person is qualified to receive a license 
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as a
physical therapist assistant if that person has applied in 
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writing, on forms
prescribed by the Department, has paid the 
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required fees and:


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        (1) Is at least 18 years of age and of good moral 
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character.  In
determining moral character, the Department 
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may take into consideration any
felony conviction of the 
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applicant, but such a conviction shall not operate

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automatically as a complete bar to a license;


 


 






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        (2) Has graduated from a 2 year
college-level physical 
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therapist
therapy assistant program accredited
by the 
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Commission on Accreditation  in  Physical  Therapy        Education.   
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A  person  who  graduated  from  a  physical        therapy  assistant  
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program  outside the United States or        its territories must 
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submit  evidence  that  his  or  her        educational  background  is 
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substantially equivalent to a        Commission on Accreditation 
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in Physical Therapy Education        program and conferred by a 
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regionally accredited  college        or  university  in  the  United  
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States.
approved by the
Department.  In approving such a 
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physical therapist assistant program the
Department shall 
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consider but not be bound by accreditation by the

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Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.  
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Any person who graduated from a
physical
therapy
assistant 
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program outside the United States or its territories shall 
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have his
or her
degree validated as equivalent to a 
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physical therapy assistant degree
conferred by a 
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regionally accredited college or university in the United

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States.  The
Department may establish by rule a method for 
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the completion of course
deficiencies; and


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        (3) Has successfully completed the examination 
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authorized by
the
Department.  A person who graduated from a 
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physical therapy assistant program
outside
the United 
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States or its territories and whose first language is not 
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English
shall submit certification of passage of the Test 
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of English as a Foreign
Language (TOEFL) and the Test of 
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Spoken English (TSE) as defined by rule prior
to taking the 
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licensure examination.

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(Source: P.A. 89-387, eff. 1-1-96.)

 

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