SERVICE MEMBER-EXPEDITED LIC

Amends the Departments of State Government Law. Provides that expedited temporary occupational or professional licenses issued to service members and the spouses of service members meeting specified requirements shall be valid for 3 years (currently, valid 6 months) after the date of issuance or until a license is granted or a notice to deny a license is issued in accordance with rules adopted by the department issuing the license, whichever occurs first. Provides that the required fee paid in the application process for an expedited temporary occupational or professional license issued to service members and the spouses of service members shall be refundable (currently, not refundable). House Committee Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Departments of State Government Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall within 180 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act designate one staff member as the military liaison within the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to ensure proper enactment of specified requirements. Specifies additional responsibilities of the military liaison. Provides that beginning in 2020, and at the end of each calendar year thereafter, the military liaison shall provide an annual report documenting the expedited licensure program for service members and spouses, and shall deliver that report to the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Lieutenant Governor. Provides that an application for a temporary occupational or professional license, presented with military orders from a service member or his or her spouse (or an equivalent memorandum from the service member's commander) which provides evidence that the service member will reside in this State within 6 months after the date of application for temporary occupational or professional licensure, shall be expedited within 60 days after the date on which the applicant provides all necessary documentation required for licensure. Provides that an expedited temporary occupational or professional license shall be issued to any service member or his or her spouse meeting the application requirements, regardless of whether the service member or his or her spouse currently resides in this State. Provides that if a service member or his or her spouse relocates from this State, he or she shall be provided an opportunity to place his or her license in inactive status through coordination with the military liaison. Provides that if the service member or his or her spouse returns to this State, he or she may reactivate the license by completing a license renewal application. Provides that the license renewal shall be expedited and completed within 30 days after receipt of a completed application for renewal. Provides that a license renewal is only applicable when the valid license for which the first issuance of a license was predicated is still valid and in good standing. Makes changes concerning specified proof to be provided in an application for expedited licensure. Modifies the term "service member" to include members of the Coast Guard. Makes other changes. House Floor Amendment No. 3 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of House Amendment No. 1 with changes. Modifies the additional responsibilities of the military liaison to include virtual, phone, or in-person periodic meetings with each military installation military and family support center. Provides for expedited occupational or professional licenses (rather than temporary occupational or professional licenses). Removes provisions requiring a service member or his or her spouse to present military orders as evidence of residence in order to receive a temporary expedited license. Restores provisions requiring a service member or his or her spouse to include proof of an application for full licensure as a part of his or her expedited license application. Strikes a provision concerning the duration of a temporary expedited license issued to a service member or his or her spouse. Modifies provisions concerning the reactivation (rather than renewal) of a license by a service member or his or her spouse. Makes other changes. House Floor Amendment No. 4 Provides that the review and determination (currently, review only) of an application for a license issued by a department shall be expedited by the department within 60 days after the date on which the applicant provides the department with all necessary documentation required for licensure. Removes a requirement specifying that an application to reactivate a license must include proof that the service member is assigned to a duty station in this State, is deployed overseas, or has orders (or a letter from his or her commander) designating that the service member shall be assigned within 180 days to a duty station in this State, or has established legal residence in this State. Makes conforming changes. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Restores provisions specifying that fees paid by applicants for expedited occupational or professional licenses issued to service members and spouses of service members shall not be refundable.