95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB5793

 

Introduced , by Rep. Tom Cross

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
225 ILCS 80/24   from Ch. 111, par. 3924

    Amends the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning grounds for disciplinary action.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB5793 LRB095 15656 RAS 41660 b

1     AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987 is
5 amended by changing Section 24 as follows:
 
6     (225 ILCS 80/24)  (from Ch. 111, par. 3924)
7     (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2017)
8     Sec. 24. Grounds for disciplinary action.
9     (a) The The Department may refuse to issue or to renew, or
10 may revoke, suspend, place on probation, reprimand or take
11 other disciplinary action as the Department may deem proper,
12 including fines not to exceed $10,000 for each violation, with
13 regard to any license for any one or combination of the
14 following causes:
15         (1) Violations of this Act, or of the rules promulgated
16     hereunder.
17         (2) Conviction of or entry of a plea of guilty to any
18     crime under the laws of any U.S. jurisdiction thereof that
19     is a felony or that is a misdemeanor of which an essential
20     element is dishonesty, or any crime that is directly
21     related to the practice of the profession.
22         (3) Making any misrepresentation for the purpose of
23     obtaining a license.

 

 

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1         (4) Professional incompetence or gross negligence in
2     the practice of optometry.
3         (5) Gross malpractice, prima facie evidence of which
4     may be a conviction or judgment of malpractice in any court
5     of competent jurisdiction.
6         (6) Aiding or assisting another person in violating any
7     provision of this Act or rules.
8         (7) Failing, within 60 days, to provide information in
9     response to a written request made by the Department that
10     has been sent by certified or registered mail to the
11     licensee's last known address.
12         (8) Engaging in dishonorable, unethical, or
13     unprofessional conduct of a character likely to deceive,
14     defraud, or harm the public.
15         (9) Habitual or excessive use or addiction to alcohol,
16     narcotics, stimulants or any other chemical agent or drug
17     that results in the inability to practice with reasonable
18     judgment, skill, or safety.
19         (10) Discipline by another U.S. jurisdiction or
20     foreign nation, if at least one of the grounds for the
21     discipline is the same or substantially equivalent to those
22     set forth herein.
23         (11) Directly or indirectly giving to or receiving from
24     any person, firm, corporation, partnership, or association
25     any fee, commission, rebate, or other form of compensation
26     for any professional services not actually or personally

 

 

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1     rendered. This shall not be deemed to include (i) rent or
2     other remunerations paid to an individual, partnership, or
3     corporation by an optometrist for the lease, rental, or use
4     of space, owned or controlled, by the individual,
5     partnership, corporation or association, and (ii) the
6     division of fees between an optometrist and related
7     professional service providers with whom the optometrist
8     practices in a professional corporation organized under
9     Section 3.6 of the Professional Service Corporation Act.
10         (12) A finding by the Department that the licensee,
11     after having his or her license placed on probationary
12     status has violated the terms of probation.
13         (13) Abandonment of a patient.
14         (14) Willfully making or filing false records or
15     reports in his or her practice, including but not limited
16     to false records filed with State agencies or departments.
17         (15) Willfully failing to report an instance of
18     suspected child abuse or neglect as required by the Abused
19     and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
20         (16) Physical illness, including but not limited to,
21     deterioration through the aging process, or loss of motor
22     skill, mental illness, or disability that results in the
23     inability to practice the profession with reasonable
24     judgment, skill, or safety.
25         (17) Solicitation of professional services other than
26     permitted advertising.

 

 

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1         (18) Failure to provide a patient with a copy of his or
2     her record or prescription in accordance with federal law.
3         (19) Conviction by any court of competent
4     jurisdiction, either within or without this State, of any
5     violation of any law governing the practice of optometry,
6     conviction in this or another State of any crime that is a
7     felony under the laws of this State or conviction of a
8     felony in a federal court, if the Department determines,
9     after investigation, that such person has not been
10     sufficiently rehabilitated to warrant the public trust.
11         (20) A finding that licensure has been applied for or
12     obtained by fraudulent means.
13         (21) Continued practice by a person knowingly having an
14     infectious or contagious disease.
15         (22) Being named as a perpetrator in an indicated
16     report by the Department of Children and Family Services
17     under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, and
18     upon proof by clear and convincing evidence that the
19     licensee has caused a child to be an abused child or a
20     neglected child as defined in the Abused and Neglected
21     Child Reporting Act.
22         (23) Practicing or attempting to practice under a name
23     other than the full name as shown on his or her license.
24         (24) Immoral conduct in the commission of any act, such
25     as sexual abuse, sexual misconduct or sexual exploitation,
26     related to the licensee's practice.

 

 

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1         (25) Maintaining a professional relationship with any
2     person, firm, or corporation when the optometrist knows, or
3     should know, that such person, firm, or corporation is
4     violating this Act.
5         (26) Promotion of the sale of drugs, devices,
6     appliances or goods provided for a client or patient in
7     such manner as to exploit the patient or client for
8     financial gain of the licensee.
9         (27) Using the title "Doctor" or its abbreviation
10     without further qualifying that title or abbreviation with
11     the word "optometry" or "optometrist".
12         (28) Use by a licensed optometrist of the word
13     "infirmary", "hospital", "school", "university", in
14     English or any other language, in connection with the place
15     where optometry may be practiced or demonstrated.
16         (29) Continuance of an optometrist in the employ of any
17     person, firm or corporation, or as an assistant to any
18     optometrist or optometrists, directly or indirectly, after
19     his or her employer or superior has been found guilty of
20     violating or has been enjoined from violating the laws of
21     the State of Illinois relating to the practice of
22     optometry, when the employer or superior persists in that
23     violation.
24         (30) The performance of optometric service in
25     conjunction with a scheme or plan with another person, firm
26     or corporation known to be advertising in a manner contrary

 

 

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1     to this Act or otherwise violating the laws of the State of
2     Illinois concerning the practice of optometry.
3         (31) Failure to provide satisfactory proof of having
4     participated in approved continuing education programs as
5     determined by the Board and approved by the Secretary.
6     Exceptions for extreme hardships are to be defined by the
7     rules of the Department.
8         (32) Willfully making or filing false records or
9     reports in the practice of optometry, including, but not
10     limited to false records to support claims against the
11     medical assistance program of the Department of Healthcare
12     and Family Services (formerly Department of Public Aid)
13     under the Illinois Public Aid Code.
14         (33) Gross and willful overcharging for professional
15     services including filing false statements for collection
16     of fees for which services are not rendered, including, but
17     not limited to filing false statements for collection of
18     monies for services not rendered from the medical
19     assistance program of the Department of Healthcare and
20     Family Services (formerly Department of Public Aid) under
21     the Illinois Public Aid Code.
22         (34) In the absence of good reasons to the contrary,
23     failure to perform a minimum eye examination as required by
24     the rules of the Department.
25         (35) Violation of the Health Care Worker Self-Referral
26     Act.

 

 

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1     The Department may refuse to issue or may suspend the
2 license of any person who fails to file a return, or to pay the
3 tax, penalty or interest shown in a filed return, or to pay any
4 final assessment of the tax, penalty or interest, as required
5 by any tax Act administered by the Illinois Department of
6 Revenue, until such time as the requirements of any such tax
7 Act are satisfied.
8     (a-5) In enforcing this Section, the Board upon a showing
9 of a possible violation, may compel any individual licensed to
10 practice under this Act, or who has applied for licensure or
11 certification pursuant to this Act, to submit to a mental or
12 physical examination, or both, as required by and at the
13 expense of the Department. The examining physicians or clinical
14 psychologists shall be those specifically designated by the
15 Board. The Board or the Department may order the examining
16 physician or clinical psychologist to present testimony
17 concerning this mental or physical examination of the licensee
18 or applicant. No information shall be excluded by reason of any
19 common law or statutory privilege relating to communications
20 between the licensee or applicant and the examining physician
21 or clinical psychologist. Eye examinations may be provided by a
22 licensed optometrist. The individual to be examined may have,
23 at his or her own expense, another physician of his or her
24 choice present during all aspects of the examination. Failure
25 of any individual to submit to a mental or physical
26 examination, when directed, shall be grounds for suspension of

 

 

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1 a license until such time as the individual submits to the
2 examination if the Board finds, after notice and hearing, that
3 the refusal to submit to the examination was without reasonable
4 cause.
5     If the Board finds an individual unable to practice because
6 of the reasons set forth in this Section, the Board shall
7 require such individual to submit to care, counseling, or
8 treatment by physicians or clinical psychologists approved or
9 designated by the Board, as a condition, term, or restriction
10 for continued, reinstated, or renewed licensure to practice, or
11 in lieu of care, counseling, or treatment, the Board may
12 recommend to the Department to file a complaint to immediately
13 suspend, revoke, or otherwise discipline the license of the
14 individual, or the Board may recommend to the Department to
15 file a complaint to suspend, revoke, or otherwise discipline
16 the license of the individual. Any individual whose license was
17 granted pursuant to this Act, or continued, reinstated,
18 renewed, disciplined, or supervised, subject to such
19 conditions, terms, or restrictions, who shall fail to comply
20 with such conditions, terms, or restrictions, shall be referred
21 to the Secretary for a determination as to whether the
22 individual shall have his or her license suspended immediately,
23 pending a hearing by the Board.
24     (b) The determination by a circuit court that a licensee is
25 subject to involuntary admission or judicial admission as
26 provided in the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities

 

 

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1 Code operates as an automatic suspension. The suspension will
2 end only upon a finding by a court that the patient is no
3 longer subject to involuntary admission or judicial admission
4 and issues an order so finding and discharging the patient; and
5 upon the recommendation of the Board to the Secretary that the
6 licensee be allowed to resume his or her practice.
7 (Source: P.A. 94-787, eff. 5-19-06.)