Healthcare (Medical Licensing)

Amends the Illinois Physical Therapy Act. Adds a provision requiring that applicants for licensure as a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant shall submit their fingerprints for the purpose of criminal history records background checks. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may adopt rules necessary to implement the amendatory provisions. Provides that the State of Illinois ratifies and approves the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact. Provides that the purpose of the Compact is to facilitate interstate practice of physical therapy with the goal of improving public access to physical therapy services, and states that the Compact preserves the regulatory authority of states to protect public health and safety through the current system of state licensure. In the Compact, contains provisions concerning definitions; state participation in the Compact; active duty military personnel and their spouses; adverse actions; the establishment of the Physical Therapy Compact Commission; a data system; rulemaking; oversight, dispute resolution, and enforcement; the date of implementation; withdrawal; construction; and severability.

Expresses the belief that nursing, social work, professional counseling, marriage and family therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, physician assistant practice, public health, and education are professional disciplines that require advanced graduate education, professional licensure, and adherence to rigorous ethical and clinical standards. Lists the graduate degrees that should be considered professional degrees. States that any state agency, public university, or entity receiving state funds should take all necessary steps to avoid discrimination against individuals holding these graduate degrees in hiring, promotion, compensation, professional development funding, or other terms and conditions of employment based on any federal student loan classification. Urges the United States Department of Education to include all graduate degrees in nursing, social work, counseling, therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, physician assistant practice, public health, and education in its definition of "professional degrees" for federal student loan purposes. Urges the Illinois Congressional Delegation to advocate for legislation to ensure that graduate students in all health and human services professions have access to adequate federal student loan funding to complete their professional education. Commits to exploring state-level solutions to support graduate education in health and human services professions, including but not limited to scholarships, grants, loan repayment assistance programs, and other workforce development initiatives. Expresses support for the licensed health and human services professionals in Illinois who serve our most vulnerable populations with skill, compassion, and unwavering commitment to the public good.

Amends the Acupuncture Practice Act, the Illinois Athletic Trainers Practice Act, the Illinois Dental Practice Act, the Massage Therapy Practice Act, the Medical Practice Act of 1987, the Nurse Practice Act, the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987, the Orthotics, Prosthetics, and Pedorthics Practice Act, the Illinois Physical Therapy Act, the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987, the Podiatric Medical Practice Act of 1987, the Respiratory Care Practice Act, the Registered Surgical Assistant and Registered Surgical Technologist Title Protection Act, and the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act. Provides that any Department of Financial and Professional Regulation process under statute or rule used to verify the criminal history of an applicant for licensure shall be used for all applicants for licensure, applicants for renewal of a license, or persons whose conviction of a crime or other behavior warrants review of a license. Provides that a finding of guilt by a judge or jury, a guilty plea, or plea of no contest to specified offenses entered after the effective date of the amendatory Act is a disqualifying offense, and the individual's license shall be automatically revoked when the Department is notified that the individual has been found guilty or has pled guilty or no contest. Provides that the individual may appeal the revocation to the Department only upon the reversal of the criminal conviction. Provides that crime victims have the right to file a complaint against the accused with the agency or department that licensed, certified, permitted, or registered the accused if the accused holds a license, certificate, permit, or registration to practice a profession. Effective 6 months after becoming law.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning non-emergency transportation services for medical assistance recipients, removes a requirement that facilities complete a Physician Certification Statement prior to ordering non-emergency transportation services for a patient. Instead, requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to develop, subject to federal approval, a Uniform Non-Emergency Transportation Certification Form (form) for non-emergency transportation. Provides that the form shall be the only form used by and required of all facilities, physicians, transportation providers, and transportation brokers whenever a patient or person covered by the medical assistance program is being transported from a facility or personal residence and requires non-emergency transportation. Makes corresponding changes to the Nursing Home Care Act and the Hospital Licensing Act. Further amends the Medical Assistance Article with a provision authorizing transportation brokers to use a network of independent driver providers for the delivery of covered transportation services. Provides that transportation brokers and participating independent driver providers shall be subject to the same driver credentialing and licensing standards and provider registration requirements as transportation network companies (TNC) and TNC drivers enrolled in the Impact Medicaid Program Advanced Cloud Technology system. With respect to the Department's Business Enterprise Program requirements for Medicaid managed care organizations (MCO), requires each MCO to submit only one Letter of Intent that consolidates and sets forth all pending transportation services from all BEP-certified transportation providers contracted with the MCO. Requires the Department to permit a MCO's transportation broker to attest to the accuracy of all claims for services provided by a contracted transportation provider.

Creates the Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens Act. Establishes the Illinois Psilocybin Advisory Board within the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for the purpose of advising and making recommendations to the Department regarding the provision of psilocybin and psilocybin services. Provides that the Department shall begin receiving applications for the licensing of persons to manufacture or test psilocybin products, operate service centers, or facilitate psilocybin services. Contains licensure requirements and prohibitions. Provides that a licensee or licensee representative may manufacture, deliver, or possess a psilocybin product. Provides that a licensee or licensee representative may not sell or deliver a psilocybin product to a person under 21 years of age. Provides that a person may not sell, give, or otherwise make available a psilocybin product to a person who is visibly intoxicated. Creates the Psilocybin Control and Regulation Fund and the Illinois Psilocybin Fund and makes conforming changes in the State Finance Act. Requires the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, and the Department of Revenue to perform specified duties. Contains provisions concerning rulemaking, taxes, fees, zoning, labeling, and penalties. Provides that beginning January 1, 2026, a tax is imposed upon purchasers for the privilege of using psilocybin at a rate of 15% of the purchase price. Preempts home rule powers. Contains other provisions. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a person shall not drive or be in actual physical control of any vehicle within the State while there is any amount of a drug, substance, or compound in the person's breath, blood, other bodily substance, or urine resulting from the unlawful use or consumption of psilocybin as defined in the Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens Act. Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Removes psilocybin and psilocin from the list of Schedule I controlled substances. Amends the Illinois Independent Tax Tribunal Act of 2012. Provides that the Tax Tribunal shall have original jurisdiction over all determinations of the Department of Revenue reflected on specified notices issued under the Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens Act. Amends the Freedom of Information Act to exempt specific records from disclosure. Effective immediately.

Creates the Dignity for Aborted Children Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any State law or administrative rule to the contrary, any physician after performing an abortion shall provide the patient with an informed consent form, provided by the Department of Public Health, offering the patient specified options for disposal of the human fetal tissue from the abortion. Provides that it is unlawful for any physician, after performing an abortion in which the patient elects to release the human fetal tissue to the physician, to fail to provide for the final disposition of the human fetal tissue through interment or cremation, consistent with State law regarding the disposal of human remains, not later than 7 days after the date on which the abortion procedure was performed. Requires physicians who perform abortions and persons, not including patients, to whom human fetal tissue are transferred to submit annual reports to the Department containing specified information. Contains provisions specifying civil penalties, criminal designations, and consideration of action by the Illinois State Medical Board. Provides that a patient upon whom an abortion is performed or attempted in violation of the Act may not be prosecuted under the Act or for a conspiracy to violate the Act. Provides that the Department shall submit to the General Assembly an annual report on the number of abortions, procedure type, and method of disposal of human fetal tissue under the Act.

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Makes changes to the requirements for a registered professional nursing education program in provisions concerning the establishment of a new program, program policies, faculty members, training and development, the program's curriculum, the program's use of simulation, the accreditation process, approval by the Board of Nursing, and the program closure process. Makes a conforming change. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may, without hearing, rescind the license of any person who obtain a license after completing a program or obtaining credit from a program that does not meet the requirements of the provisions regarding registered professional nursing education programs. In provisions concerning nursing licensure by examination, removes the provision regarding the good standing period for professional nursing programs on probationary status.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that beginning January 1, 2026, for a person who is a resident in a facility licensed under the ID/DD Community Care Act, the Community-Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure and Certification Act, or the MC/DD Act for whom payments are made under the Article throughout a month and who is determined to be eligible for medical assistance, the State shall pay an amount in addition to the minimum monthly personal needs allowance authorized under the Social Security Act so that the person's total monthly personal needs allowance from both State and federal sources equals $90. Provides that beginning January 1, 2027, the personal needs allowance described in the amendatory Act shall increase annually at the same rate as the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment to take effect on January 1 of each year.

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Makes changes to the requirements for a registered professional nursing education program in provisions concerning the establishment of a new program, program policies, faculty members, training and development, the program's curriculum, the program's use of simulation, the accreditation process, approval by the Board of Nursing, and the program closure process. Makes a conforming change. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may, without hearing, rescind the license of any person who obtain a license after completing a program or obtaining credit from a program that does not meet the requirements of the provisions regarding registered professional nursing education programs. In provisions concerning nursing licensure by examination, removes the provision regarding the good standing period for professional nursing programs on probationary status.

Amends the Health Care Worker Background Check Act. Prohibits persons who fail to report to the Department of Public Health individuals who commit certain violations from being involved in direct care for clients, patients, or residents, or access to the living quarters or the financial, medical, or personal records of clients, patients, or residents unless they have been issued a waiver under the Act. Provides that reports of violations shall be made no later than 5 days after the incident constituting the violation. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits aggravated battery when the person battered, other than by the discharge of a firearm, is known to be a patient at a Department of Human Services facility and the person who commits the battery is an employee of the Department of Human Services; and a recipient at a community-integrated living arrangement, as defined in the Community-Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure and Certification Act, who is battered by an employee of the community-integrated living arrangement. Provides that the offense is a Class 2 felony.