§ 2105-15 — General powers and duties

(a) The Department has, subject to the provisions of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, the following powers and duties: (1) To authorize examinations in English to ascertain the qualifications and fitness of applicants to exercise the profession, trade, or occupation for which the examination is held. (2) To prescribe rules and regulations for a fair and wholly impartial method of examination of candidates to exercise the respective professions, trades, or occupations. (3) To pass upon the qualifications of applicants for licenses, certificates, and authorities, whether by examination, by reciprocity, or by endorsement. (4) To prescribe rules and regulations defining, for the respective professions, trades, and occupations, what shall constitute a school, college, or university, or department of a university, or other institution, reputable and in good standing, and to determine the reputability and good standing of a school, college, or university, or department of a university, or other institution, reputable and in good standing, by reference to a compliance with those rules and regulations; provided, that no school, college, or university, or department of a university, or other institution that refuses admittance to applicants solely on account of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, or national origin shall be considered reputable and in good standing. (5) To conduct hearings on proceedings to revoke, suspend, refuse to renew, place on probationary status, or take other disciplinary action as authorized in any licensing Act administered by the Department with regard to licenses, certificates, or authorities of persons exercising the respective professions, trades, or occupations and to revoke, suspend, refuse to renew, place on probationary status, or take other disciplinary action as authorized in any licensing Act administered by the Department with regard to those licenses, certificates, or authorities. The Department shall issue a monthly disciplinary report. The Department shall refuse to issue or renew a license to, or shall suspend or revoke a license of, any person who, after receiving notice, fails to comply with a subpoena or warrant relating to a paternity or child support proceeding. However, the Department may issue a license or renewal upon compliance with the subpoena or warrant. The Department, without further process or hearings, shall revoke, suspend, or deny any license or renewal authorized by the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois to a person who is certified by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (formerly Illinois Department of Public Aid) as being more than 30 days delinquent in complying with a child support order or who is certified by a court as being in violation of the Non-Support Punishment Act for more than 60 days. The Department may, however, issue a license or renewal if the person has established a satisfactory repayment record as determined by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (formerly Illinois Department of Public Aid) or if the person is determined by the court to be in compliance with the Non-Support Punishment Act. The Department may implement this paragraph as added by Public Act 89-6 through the use of emergency rules in accordance with Section 5-45 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. For purposes of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, the adoption of rules to implement this paragraph shall be considered an emergency and necessary for the public interest, safety, and welfare. (6) To transfer jurisdiction of any realty under the control of the Department to any other department of the State Government or to acquire or accept federal lands when the transfer, acquisition, or acceptance is advantageous to the State and is approved in writing by the Governor. (7) To formulate rules and regulations necessary for the enforcement of any Act administered by the Department. (8) To exchange with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services information that may be necessary for the enforcement of child support orders entered pursuant to the Illinois Public Aid Code, the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, the Non-Support of Spouse and Children Act, the Non-Support Punishment Act, the Revised Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act, the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, the Illinois Parentage Act of 1984, or the Illinois Parentage Act of 2015. Notwithstanding any provisions in this Code to the contrary, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall not be liable under any federal or State law to any person for any disclosure of information to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (formerly Illinois Department of Public Aid) under this paragraph (8) or for any other action taken in good faith to comply with the requirements of this paragraph (8). (8.3) To exchange information with the Department of Human Rights regarding recommendations received under paragraph (B) of Section 8-109 of the Illinois Human Rights Act regarding a licensee or candidate for licensure who has committed a civil rights violation that may lead to the refusal, suspension, or revocation of a license from the Department. (8.5) To accept continuing education credit for mandated reporter training on how to recognize and report child abuse offered by the Department of Children and Family Services and completed by any person who holds a professional license issued by the Department and who is a mandated reporter under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. The Department shall adopt any rules necessary to implement this paragraph. (9) To perform other duties prescribed by law. (a-5) Except in cases involving delinquency in complying with a child support order or violation of the Non-Support Punishment Act and notwithstanding anything that may appear in any individual licensing Act or administrative rule, no person or entity whose license, certificate, or authority has been revoked as authorized in any licensing Act administered by the Department may apply for restoration of that license, certification, or authority until 3 years after the effective date of the revocation. (b) (Blank). (c) For the purpose of securing and preparing evidence, and for the purchase of controlled substances, professional services, and equipment necessary for enforcement activities, recoupment of investigative costs, and other activities directed at suppressing the misuse and abuse of controlled substances, including those activities set forth in Sections 504 and 508 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, the Director and agents appointed and authorized by the Director may expend sums from the Professional Regulation Evidence Fund that the Director deems necessary from the amounts appropriated for that purpose. Those sums may be advanced to the agent when the Director deems that procedure to be in the public interest. Sums for the purchase of controlled substances, professional services, and equipment necessary for enforcement activities and other activities as set forth in this Section shall be advanced to the agent who is to make the purchase from the Professional Regulation Evidence Fund on vouchers signed by the Director. The Director and those agents are authorized to maintain one or more commercial checking accounts with any State banking corporation or corporations organized under or subject to the Illinois Banking Act for the deposit and withdrawal of moneys to be used for the purposes set forth in this Section; provided, that no check may be written nor any withdrawal made from any such account except upon the written signatures of 2 persons designated by the Director to write those checks and make those withdrawals. Vouchers for those expenditures must be signed by the Director. All such expenditures shall be audited by the Director, and the audit shall be submitted to the Department of Central Management Services for approval. (d) Whenever the Department is authorized or required by law to consider some aspect of criminal history record information for the purpose of carrying out its statutory powers and responsibilities, then, upon request and payment of fees in conformance with the requirements of Section 2605-400 of the Illinois State Police Law, the Illinois State Police is authorized to furnish, pursuant to positive identification, the information contained in State files that is necessary to fulfill the request. (e) The provisions of this Section do not apply to private business and vocational schools as defined by Section 15 of the Private Business and Vocational Schools Act of 2012. (f) (Blank). (f-5) Notwithstanding anything that may appear in any individual licensing statute or administrative rule, the Department shall allow an applicant to provide his or her individual taxpayer identification number as an alternative to providing a social security number when applying for a license. (g) Notwithstanding anything that may appear in any individual licensing statute or administrative rule, the Department shall deny any license application or renewal authorized under any licensing Act administered by the Department to any person who has failed 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 requirement of any such tax Act are satisfied; however, the Department may issue a license or renewal if the person has established a satisfactory repayment record as determined by the Illinois Department of Revenue. For the purpose of this Section, "satisfactory repayment record" shall be defined by rule. In addition, a complaint filed with the Department by the Illinois Department of Revenue that includes a certification, signed by its Director or designee, attesting to the amount of the unpaid tax liability or the years for which a return was not filed, or both, is prima facie evidence of the licensee's failure to comply with the tax laws administered by the Illinois Department of Revenue. Upon receipt of that certification, the Department shall, without a hearing, immediately suspend all licenses held by the licensee. Enforcement of the Department's order shall be stayed for 60 days. The Department shall provide notice of the suspension to the licensee by mailing a copy of the Department's order to the licensee's address of record or emailing a copy of the order to the licensee's email address of record. The notice shall advise the licensee that the suspension shall be effective 60 days after the issuance of the Department's order unless the Department receives, from the licensee, a request for a hearing before the Department to dispute the matters contained in the order. Any suspension imposed under this subsection (g) shall be terminated by the Department upon notification from the Illinois Department of Revenue that the licensee is in compliance with all tax laws administered by the Illinois Department of Revenue. The Department may promulgate rules for the administration of this subsection (g). (g-5) Notwithstanding anything that may appear in any individual licensing statute or administrative rule, the Department shall refuse the issuance or renewal of a license to, or suspend or revoke the license of, any individual, corporation, partnership, or other business entity that has been found by the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission or the Department of Insurance to have failed to (i) secure workers' compensation obligations in the manner required by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 4 of the Workers' Compensation Act, (ii) pay in full a fine or penalty imposed due to a failure to secure workers' compensation obligations in the manner required by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 4 of the Workers' Compensation Act, or (iii) fulfill all obligations assumed pursuant to a settlement reached with the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission or the Department of Insurance relating to a failure to secure workers' compensation obligations in the manner required by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 4 of the Workers' Compensation Act. No initial or renewal license shall be issued, and no suspended license shall be reinstated, until such time that the Department is notified by the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission or the Department of Insurance that the licensee's or applicant's failure to comply with subsections (a) and (b) of Section 4 of the Workers' Compensation Act has been corrected or otherwise resolved to satisfaction of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission or the Department of Insurance. In addition, a complaint filed with the Department by the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission or the Department of Insurance that includes a certification, signed by its Director or Chairman, or the Director or Chairman's designee, attesting to a finding of the failure to secure workers' compensation obligations in the manner required by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 4 of the Workers' Compensation Act or the failure to pay any fines or penalties or to discharge any obligation under a settlement relating to the failure to secure workers' compensation obligations in the manner required by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 4 of the Workers' Compensation Act is prima facie evidence of the licensee's or applicant's failure to comply with subsections (a) and (b) of Section 4 of the Workers' Compensation Act. Upon receipt of that certification, the Department shall, without a hearing, immediately suspend all licenses held by the licensee or the processing of any application from the applicant. Enforcement of the Department's order shall be stayed for 60 days. The Department shall provide notice of the suspension to the licensee by mailing a copy of the Department's order to the licensee's address of record or emailing a copy of the order to the licensee's email address of record. The notice shall advise the licensee that the suspension shall be effective 60 days after the issuance of the Department's order unless the Department receives from the licensee or applicant a request for a hearing before the Department to dispute the matters contained in the order. Any suspension imposed under this subsection shall be terminated by the Department upon notification from the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission or the Department of Insurance that the licensee's or applicant's failure to comply with subsections (a) and (b) of Section 4 of the Workers' Compensation Act has been corrected or otherwise resolved to the satisfaction of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission or the Department of Insurance. No license shall be suspended or revoked until after the licensee is afforded any due process protection guaranteed by statute or rule adopted by the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission or the Department of Insurance. The Department may adopt rules for the administration of this subsection. (h) The Department may grant the title "Retired", to be used immediately adjacent to the title of a profession regulated by the Department, to eligible retirees. For individuals licensed under the Medical Practice Act of 1987, the title "Retired" may be used in the profile required by the Patients' Right to Know Act. The use of the title "Retired" shall not constitute representation of current licensure, registration, or certification. Any person without an active license, registration, or certificate in a profession that requires licensure, registration, or certification shall not be permitted to practice that profession. (i) The Department shall make available on its website general information explaining how the Department utilizes criminal history information in making licensure application decisions, including a list of enumerated offenses that serve as a statutory bar to licensure.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 102-538, eff. 8-20-21; 103-26, eff. 1-1-24; 103-605, eff. 7-1-24.)