SB1876eng 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB1876 Engrossed LRB094 11426 RAS 42336 b

AN ACT concerning regulation.

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

Section 5. The Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by changing Section 2105-75 as follows:

(20 ILCS 2105/2105-75) (was 20 ILCS 2105/61f)

Sec. 2105-75. Design professionals designated employees. There are established within the Department certain design professionals designated employees. These employees shall be devoted primarily to the administration and enforcement of the Illinois Architecture Practice Act, the Illinois Professional Land Surveyor Act of 1989, the Professional Engineering Practice Act of 1989, and the Structural Engineering Practice Act of 1989. The design professionals designated employees that the Director shall employ, in conformity with the Personnel Code, shall include but not be limited to one full-time Design Licensing Manager, one full-time Assistant Licensing Manager, 3 4 full-time licensing clerks, one full-time attorney, and 3 2 full-time investigators. These employees shall work primarily in the licensing and enforcement of the design profession Acts set forth in this Section and may be used, when available, for other duties in the Department subject to the authorization of the Department.

(Source: P.A. 92-16, eff. 6-28-01; 93-1009, eff. 1-1-05.)

Section 10. The Illinois Architecture Practice Act of 1989 is amended by changing Sections 13, 20, 22, and 23.5 as follows:

(225 ILCS 305/13) (from Ch. 111, par. 1313)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2010)

Sec. 13. Qualifications of applicants. Any person who is of good moral character may take an examination for licensure if he or she is a graduate with a first professional degree in architecture from a program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board and has completed such diversified professional training, including academic training, as is required by rules of the Department. Until January 1, 2014 2010, in lieu of the requirement of graduation with a first professional degree in architecture from a program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board, the Department may admit an applicant who is a graduate with a pre-professional 4 year baccalaureate degree accepted for direct entry into a first professional master of architecture degree program, and who has completed such additional diversified professional training, including academic training, as is required by rules of the Department. The Department may adopt, as its own rules relating to diversified professional training, those guidelines published from time to time by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

Good moral character means such character as will enable a person to discharge the fiduciary duties of an architect to that person's client and to the public in a manner which protects health, safety and welfare. Evidence of inability to discharge such duties may include the commission of an offense justifying discipline under Section 19. In addition, the Department may take into consideration whether the applicant has engaged in conduct or actions that would constitute grounds for discipline under this Act.

(Source: P.A. 93-1009, eff. 1-1-05.)

(225 ILCS 305/20) (from Ch. 111, par. 1320)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2010)

Sec. 20. Roster of licensees and registrants. A roster showing the names and addresses of all architects, architectural corporations and partnerships and professional design firms licensed or registered under this Act shall be prepared by the Department each year. This roster shall be organized by discipline and available by discipline upon written request and payment of the required fee.

(Source: P.A. 88-428.)

(225 ILCS 305/22) (from Ch. 111, par. 1322)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2010)

Sec. 22. Refusal, suspension and revocation of licenses; Causes.

(a) The Department may, singularly or in combination, refuse to issue, renew or restore, or may suspend or revoke any license or registration, or may place on probation, reprimand, or fine, with a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 for each violation, any person, corporation, or partnership, or professional design firm licensed or registered under this Act for any of the following reasons:

(1) material misstatement in furnishing information to the Department;

(2) negligence, incompetence or misconduct in the practice of architecture;

(3) failure to comply with any of the provisions of this Act or any of the rules;

(4) making any misrepresentation for the purpose of obtaining licensure;

(5) purposefully making false statements or signing false statements, certificates or affidavits to induce payment;

(6) conviction of any crime under the laws of the United States, or any state or territory thereof, which is a felony, whether related to the practice of architecture or not; or conviction of any crime, whether a felony, misdemeanor, or otherwise, an essential element of which is dishonesty, wanton disregard for the rights of others, or which is directly related to the practice of architecture;

(7) aiding or assisting another person in violating any provision of this Act or its rules;

(8) signing, affixing the licensed architect's seal or permitting the architect's seal to be affixed to any construction documents not prepared by the architect or under that architect's direct supervision and control;

(9) engaging in dishonorable, unethical or unprofessional conduct of a character likely to deceive, defraud or harm the public;

(10) habitual intoxication or addiction to the use of drugs;

(11) making a statement of compliance pursuant to the Environmental Barriers Act that construction documents prepared by the Licensed Architect or prepared under the licensed architect's direct supervision and control for construction or alteration of an occupancy required to be in compliance with the Environmental Barriers Act are in compliance with the Environmental Barriers Act when such construction documents are not in compliance;

(12) a finding by the Board that an applicant or registrant has failed to pay a fine imposed by the Department or a registrant, whose license has been placed on probationary status, has violated the terms of probation;

(13) discipline by another state, territory, foreign country, the District of Columbia, the United States government, or any other governmental agency, if at least one of the grounds for discipline is the same or substantially equivalent to those set forth herein;

(14) failure to provide information in response to a written request made by the Department within 30 days after the receipt of such written request;

(15) physical illness, including, but not limited to, deterioration through the aging process or loss of motor skill which results in the inability to practice the profession with reasonable judgment, skill or safety.

(a-5) In enforcing this Section, the Board upon a showing of a possible violation may request that the Department compel a person licensed to practice under this Act, or who has applied for licensure or certification pursuant to this Act, to submit to a mental or physical examination, or both, as required by and at the expense of the Department. The examining physicians shall be those specifically designated by the Department Board. The Board or the Department may order the examining physician to present testimony concerning this 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 person to be examined may have, at his or her own expense, another physician of his or her choice present during all aspects of the examination. Failure of any person to submit to a mental or physical examination, when directed, shall be grounds for suspension of a license until the person submits to the examination if the Department Board finds, after notice and hearing, that the refusal to submit to the examination was without reasonable cause.

If the Board finds a person unable to practice because of the reasons set forth in this Section, the Board may recommend that the Department require that person to submit to care, counseling, or treatment by physicians approved or designated by the Department Board as a condition, term, or restriction for continued, reinstated, or renewed licensure to practice; or, in lieu of care, counseling, or treatment, the Board may recommend to the Department to file a complaint to immediately suspend, revoke or otherwise discipline the license of the person. Any person 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 person shall have his or her license suspended immediately, pending a hearing by the Board.

(b) The determination by a circuit court that a licensee is subject to involuntary admission or judicial admission, as provided in the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code, operates as an automatic suspension. Such suspension will end only upon a finding by a court that the patient is no longer subject to involuntary admission or judicial admission, the issuance of an order so finding and discharging the patient, and the recommendation of the Board to the Director that the licensee be allowed to resume practice.

The Department may refuse to issue or may suspend the license of any person who fails to file a return, or to pay the tax, penalty or interest shown in a filed return, or to pay any final assessment of 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.

Persons who assist the Department as consultants or expert witnesses in the investigation or prosecution of alleged violations of the Act, licensure matters, restoration proceedings, or criminal prosecutions, shall not be liable for damages in any civil action or proceeding as a result of such assistance, except upon proof of actual malice. The attorney general shall defend such persons in any such action or proceeding.

(Source: P.A. 91-133, eff. 1-1-00.)

(225 ILCS 305/23.5)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2010)

Sec. 23.5. Unlicensed practice; violation; civil penalty.

(a) Any person who practices, offers to practice, attempts to practice, or holds oneself out to practice as an architect without being licensed under this Act shall, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, pay a civil penalty to the Department in an amount not to exceed $5,000 for each offense as determined by the Department. The civil penalty shall be assessed by the Department after a hearing is held in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Act regarding the provision of a hearing for the discipline of a licensee.

(a-5) Any entity that advertises architecture services in a telecommunications directory must include its architecture firm registration number or, in the case of a sole proprietor, his or her individual license number. Nothing in this subsection (a-5) requires the publisher of a telecommunications directory to investigate or verify the accuracy of the registration or license number provided by the advertiser of architecture services.

(b) The Department has the authority and power to investigate any and all unlicensed activity.

(c) The civil penalty shall be paid within 60 days after the effective date of the order imposing the civil penalty. The order shall constitute a judgment and may be filed and execution had thereon in the same manner as any judgment from any court of record.

(Source: P.A. 89-474, eff. 6-18-96.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2005.