102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB3571

 

Introduced 2/22/2021, by Rep. David A. Welter

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
210 ILCS 50/3.50

    Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Provides that an Illinois licensed EMR, EMD, EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, Paramedic, ECRN, PHPA, PHAPRN, or PHRN whose license has expired may, within 6 months after license expiration, apply for relicensure, show compliance with all relicensure requirements, and submit the required relicensure fees, including a late fee, and, after that 6-month period, may apply for reinstatement.


LRB102 14694 CPF 20047 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB3571LRB102 14694 CPF 20047 b

1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems
5Act is amended by changing Section 3.50 as follows:
 
6    (210 ILCS 50/3.50)
7    Sec. 3.50. Emergency Medical Services personnel licensure
8levels.
9    (a) "Emergency Medical Technician" or "EMT" means a person
10who has successfully completed a course in basic life support
11as approved by the Department, is currently licensed by the
12Department in accordance with standards prescribed by this Act
13and rules adopted by the Department pursuant to this Act, and
14practices within an EMS System. A valid Emergency Medical
15Technician-Basic (EMT-B) license issued under this Act shall
16continue to be valid and shall be recognized as an Emergency
17Medical Technician (EMT) license until the Emergency Medical
18Technician-Basic (EMT-B) license expires.
19    (b) "Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediate" or "EMT-I"
20means a person who has successfully completed a course in
21intermediate life support as approved by the Department, is
22currently licensed by the Department in accordance with
23standards prescribed by this Act and rules adopted by the

 

 

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1Department pursuant to this Act, and practices within an
2Intermediate or Advanced Life Support EMS System.
3    (b-5) "Advanced Emergency Medical Technician" or "A-EMT"
4means a person who has successfully completed a course in
5basic and limited advanced emergency medical care as approved
6by the Department, is currently licensed by the Department in
7accordance with standards prescribed by this Act and rules
8adopted by the Department pursuant to this Act, and practices
9within an Intermediate or Advanced Life Support EMS System.
10    (c) "Paramedic (EMT-P)" means a person who has
11successfully completed a course in advanced life support care
12as approved by the Department, is licensed by the Department
13in accordance with standards prescribed by this Act and rules
14adopted by the Department pursuant to this Act, and practices
15within an Advanced Life Support EMS System. A valid Emergency
16Medical Technician-Paramedic (EMT-P) license issued under this
17Act shall continue to be valid and shall be recognized as a
18Paramedic license until the Emergency Medical
19Technician-Paramedic (EMT-P) license expires.
20    (c-5) "Emergency Medical Responder" or "EMR (First
21Responder)" means a person who has successfully completed a
22course in emergency medical response as approved by the
23Department and provides emergency medical response services
24prior to the arrival of an ambulance or specialized emergency
25medical services vehicle, in accordance with the level of care
26established by the National EMS Educational Standards

 

 

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1Emergency Medical Responder course as modified by the
2Department. An Emergency Medical Responder who provides
3services as part of an EMS System response plan shall comply
4with the applicable sections of the Program Plan, as approved
5by the Department, of that EMS System. The Department shall
6have the authority to adopt rules governing the curriculum,
7practice, and necessary equipment applicable to Emergency
8Medical Responders.
9    On August 15, 2014 (the effective date of Public Act
1098-973), a person who is licensed by the Department as a First
11Responder and has completed a Department-approved course in
12first responder defibrillator training based on, or equivalent
13to, the National EMS Educational Standards or other standards
14previously recognized by the Department shall be eligible for
15licensure as an Emergency Medical Responder upon meeting the
16licensure requirements and submitting an application to the
17Department. A valid First Responder license issued under this
18Act shall continue to be valid and shall be recognized as an
19Emergency Medical Responder license until the First Responder
20license expires.
21    (c-10) All EMS Systems and licensees shall be fully
22compliant with the National EMS Education Standards, as
23modified by the Department in administrative rules, within 24
24months after the adoption of the administrative rules.
25    (d) The Department shall have the authority and
26responsibility to:

 

 

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1        (1) Prescribe education and training requirements,
2    which includes training in the use of epinephrine, for all
3    levels of EMS personnel except for EMRs, based on the
4    National EMS Educational Standards and any modifications
5    to those curricula specified by the Department through
6    rules adopted pursuant to this Act.
7        (2) Prescribe licensure testing requirements for all
8    levels of EMS personnel, which shall include a requirement
9    that all phases of instruction, training, and field
10    experience be completed before taking the appropriate
11    licensure examination. Candidates may elect to take the
12    appropriate National Registry examination in lieu of the
13    Department's examination, but are responsible for making
14    their own arrangements for taking the National Registry
15    examination. In prescribing licensure testing requirements
16    for honorably discharged members of the armed forces of
17    the United States under this paragraph (2), the Department
18    shall ensure that a candidate's military emergency medical
19    training, emergency medical curriculum completed, and
20    clinical experience, as described in paragraph (2.5), are
21    recognized.
22        (2.5) Review applications for EMS personnel licensure
23    from honorably discharged members of the armed forces of
24    the United States with military emergency medical
25    training. Applications shall be filed with the Department
26    within one year after military discharge and shall

 

 

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1    contain: (i) proof of successful completion of military
2    emergency medical training; (ii) a detailed description of
3    the emergency medical curriculum completed; and (iii) a
4    detailed description of the applicant's clinical
5    experience. The Department may request additional and
6    clarifying information. The Department shall evaluate the
7    application, including the applicant's training and
8    experience, consistent with the standards set forth under
9    subsections (a), (b), (c), and (d) of Section 3.10. If the
10    application clearly demonstrates that the training and
11    experience meet such standards, the Department shall offer
12    the applicant the opportunity to successfully complete a
13    Department-approved EMS personnel examination for the
14    level of license for which the applicant is qualified.
15    Upon passage of an examination, the Department shall issue
16    a license, which shall be subject to all provisions of
17    this Act that are otherwise applicable to the level of EMS
18    personnel license issued.
19        (3) License individuals as an EMR, EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT,
20    or Paramedic who have met the Department's education,
21    training and examination requirements.
22        (4) Prescribe annual continuing education and
23    relicensure requirements for all EMS personnel licensure
24    levels.
25        (5) Relicense individuals as an EMD, EMR, EMT, EMT-I,
26    A-EMT, PHRN, PHAPRN, PHPA, or Paramedic every 4 years,

 

 

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1    based on their compliance with continuing education and
2    relicensure requirements as required by the Department
3    pursuant to this Act. Every 4 years, a Paramedic shall
4    have 100 hours of approved continuing education, an EMT-I
5    and an advanced EMT shall have 80 hours of approved
6    continuing education, and an EMT shall have 60 hours of
7    approved continuing education. An Illinois licensed EMR,
8    EMD, EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, Paramedic, ECRN, PHPA, PHAPRN, or
9    PHRN whose license has expired may, within 6 months after
10    license expiration, apply for relicensure, show compliance
11    with all relicensure requirements, and submit the required
12    relicensure fees, including a late fee. An Illinois
13    licensed EMR, EMD, EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, Paramedic, ECRN,
14    PHPA, PHAPRN, or PHRN whose license has been expired for
15    more than 6 months but less than 36 months may apply for
16    reinstatement by the Department. Reinstatement shall
17    require that the applicant (i) submit satisfactory proof
18    of completion of continuing medical education and clinical
19    requirements to be prescribed by the Department in an
20    administrative rule; (ii) submit a positive recommendation
21    from an Illinois EMS Medical Director attesting to the
22    applicant's qualifications for retesting; and (iii) pass a
23    Department approved test for the level of EMS personnel
24    license sought to be reinstated.
25        (6) Grant inactive status to any EMR, EMD, EMT, EMT-I,
26    A-EMT, Paramedic, ECRN, PHAPRN, PHPA, or PHRN who

 

 

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1    qualifies, based on standards and procedures established
2    by the Department in rules adopted pursuant to this Act.
3        (7) Charge a fee for EMS personnel examination,
4    licensure, and license renewal.
5        (8) Suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue or renew the
6    license of any licensee, after an opportunity for an
7    impartial hearing before a neutral administrative law
8    judge appointed by the Director, where the preponderance
9    of the evidence shows one or more of the following:
10            (A) The licensee has not met continuing education
11        or relicensure requirements as prescribed by the
12        Department;
13            (B) The licensee has failed to maintain
14        proficiency in the level of skills for which he or she
15        is licensed;
16            (C) The licensee, during the provision of medical
17        services, engaged in dishonorable, unethical, or
18        unprofessional conduct of a character likely to
19        deceive, defraud, or harm the public;
20            (D) The licensee has failed to maintain or has
21        violated standards of performance and conduct as
22        prescribed by the Department in rules adopted pursuant
23        to this Act or his or her EMS System's Program Plan;
24            (E) The licensee is physically impaired to the
25        extent that he or she cannot physically perform the
26        skills and functions for which he or she is licensed,

 

 

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1        as verified by a physician, unless the person is on
2        inactive status pursuant to Department regulations;
3            (F) The licensee is mentally impaired to the
4        extent that he or she cannot exercise the appropriate
5        judgment, skill and safety for performing the
6        functions for which he or she is licensed, as verified
7        by a physician, unless the person is on inactive
8        status pursuant to Department regulations;
9            (G) The licensee has violated this Act or any rule
10        adopted by the Department pursuant to this Act; or
11            (H) The licensee has been convicted (or entered a
12        plea of guilty or nolo contendere nolo-contendere) by
13        a court of competent jurisdiction of a Class X, Class
14        1, or Class 2 felony in this State or an out-of-state
15        equivalent offense.
16        (9) Prescribe education and training requirements in
17    the administration and use of opioid antagonists for all
18    levels of EMS personnel based on the National EMS
19    Educational Standards and any modifications to those
20    curricula specified by the Department through rules
21    adopted pursuant to this Act.
22    (d-5) An EMR, EMD, EMT, EMT-I, A-EMT, Paramedic, ECRN,
23PHAPRN, PHPA, or PHRN who is a member of the Illinois National
24Guard or an Illinois State Trooper or who exclusively serves
25as a volunteer for units of local government with a population
26base of less than 5,000 or as a volunteer for a not-for-profit

 

 

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1organization that serves a service area with a population base
2of less than 5,000 may submit an application to the Department
3for a waiver of the fees described under paragraph (7) of
4subsection (d) of this Section on a form prescribed by the
5Department.
6    The education requirements prescribed by the Department
7under this Section must allow for the suspension of those
8requirements in the case of a member of the armed services or
9reserve forces of the United States or a member of the Illinois
10National Guard who is on active duty pursuant to an executive
11order of the President of the United States, an act of the
12Congress of the United States, or an order of the Governor at
13the time that the member would otherwise be required to
14fulfill a particular education requirement. Such a person must
15fulfill the education requirement within 6 months after his or
16her release from active duty.
17    (e) In the event that any rule of the Department or an EMS
18Medical Director that requires testing for drug use as a
19condition of the applicable EMS personnel license conflicts
20with or duplicates a provision of a collective bargaining
21agreement that requires testing for drug use, that rule shall
22not apply to any person covered by the collective bargaining
23agreement.
24    (f) At the time of applying for or renewing his or her
25license, an applicant for a license or license renewal may
26submit an email address to the Department. The Department

 

 

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1shall keep the email address on file as a form of contact for
2the individual. The Department shall send license renewal
3notices electronically and by mail to a licensee all licensees
4who provides provide the Department with his or her email
5address. The notices shall be sent at least 60 days prior to
6the expiration date of the license.
7(Source: P.A. 100-1082, eff. 8-24-19; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19;
8101-153, eff. 1-1-20; revised 12-3-19.)