Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois House Bill HB2373 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2373 Introduced , by Rep. Sharon Chung SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 225 ILCS 65/60-5225 ILCS 65/60-7 new225 ILCS 65/60-10 Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that one of the criteria that the Board of Nursing shall take into consideration when reviewing a registered professional nurse education program is whether the program satisfies specified criteria in provisions regarding program effectiveness (rather than satisfies the measurement of program effectiveness based on a passage rate of all graduates over the 3 most recent calendar years without reference to first-time test takers). Provides that, in order for a program to obtain initial Department of Financial and Professional Regulation approval and to maintain Department approval, the passage rates of the program's graduating classes on the State-approved licensure exam must meet one of the measurements of program effectiveness (rather than be deemed satisfactory by the Department). Provides that a registered professional nurse education program meeting one of the measurements of program effectiveness shall be deemed in good standing. Provides that the Department may, without hearing, rescind the license of any person who obtained a license or other authorization to practice under the Act based on educational credits received from a registered professional nurse education program that did not meet a set of requirements during the time period when the person obtained the credits. Sets forth requirements for program effectiveness. Effective immediately. LRB104 07560 AAS 17604 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2373 Introduced , by Rep. Sharon Chung SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 225 ILCS 65/60-5225 ILCS 65/60-7 new225 ILCS 65/60-10 225 ILCS 65/60-5 225 ILCS 65/60-7 new 225 ILCS 65/60-10 Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that one of the criteria that the Board of Nursing shall take into consideration when reviewing a registered professional nurse education program is whether the program satisfies specified criteria in provisions regarding program effectiveness (rather than satisfies the measurement of program effectiveness based on a passage rate of all graduates over the 3 most recent calendar years without reference to first-time test takers). Provides that, in order for a program to obtain initial Department of Financial and Professional Regulation approval and to maintain Department approval, the passage rates of the program's graduating classes on the State-approved licensure exam must meet one of the measurements of program effectiveness (rather than be deemed satisfactory by the Department). Provides that a registered professional nurse education program meeting one of the measurements of program effectiveness shall be deemed in good standing. Provides that the Department may, without hearing, rescind the license of any person who obtained a license or other authorization to practice under the Act based on educational credits received from a registered professional nurse education program that did not meet a set of requirements during the time period when the person obtained the credits. Sets forth requirements for program effectiveness. Effective immediately. LRB104 07560 AAS 17604 b LRB104 07560 AAS 17604 b A BILL FOR
2	2	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2373 Introduced , by Rep. Sharon Chung SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
3	3	225 ILCS 65/60-5225 ILCS 65/60-7 new225 ILCS 65/60-10 225 ILCS 65/60-5 225 ILCS 65/60-7 new 225 ILCS 65/60-10
4	4	225 ILCS 65/60-5
5	5	225 ILCS 65/60-7 new
6	6	225 ILCS 65/60-10
7	7	Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that one of the criteria that the Board of Nursing shall take into consideration when reviewing a registered professional nurse education program is whether the program satisfies specified criteria in provisions regarding program effectiveness (rather than satisfies the measurement of program effectiveness based on a passage rate of all graduates over the 3 most recent calendar years without reference to first-time test takers). Provides that, in order for a program to obtain initial Department of Financial and Professional Regulation approval and to maintain Department approval, the passage rates of the program's graduating classes on the State-approved licensure exam must meet one of the measurements of program effectiveness (rather than be deemed satisfactory by the Department). Provides that a registered professional nurse education program meeting one of the measurements of program effectiveness shall be deemed in good standing. Provides that the Department may, without hearing, rescind the license of any person who obtained a license or other authorization to practice under the Act based on educational credits received from a registered professional nurse education program that did not meet a set of requirements during the time period when the person obtained the credits. Sets forth requirements for program effectiveness. Effective immediately.
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13	13	1 AN ACT concerning regulation.
14	14	2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
15	15	3 represented in the General Assembly:
16	16	4 Section 5. The Nurse Practice Act is amended by changing
17	17	5 Sections 60-5 and 60-10 and by adding Section 60-7 as follows:
18	18	6 (225 ILCS 65/60-5)
19	19	7 (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2028)
20	20	8 Sec. 60-5. RN education program requirements; out-of-State
21	21	9 programs.
22	22	10 (a) All registered professional nurse education programs
23	23	11 must be reviewed by the Board and approved by the Department
24	24	12 before the successful completion of such a program may be
25	25	13 applied toward meeting the requirements for registered
26	26	14 professional nurse licensure under this Act. Any program
27	27	15 changing the level of educational preparation or the
28	28	16 relationship with or to the parent institution or establishing
29	29	17 an extension of an existing program must request a review by
30	30	18 the Board and approval by the Department. The Board shall
31	31	19 review and make a recommendation for the approval or
32	32	20 disapproval of a program by the Department based on the
33	33	21 following criteria:
34	34	22 (1) a feasibility study that describes the need for
35	35	23 the program and the facilities used, the potential of the
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39	39	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2373 Introduced , by Rep. Sharon Chung SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
40	40	225 ILCS 65/60-5225 ILCS 65/60-7 new225 ILCS 65/60-10 225 ILCS 65/60-5 225 ILCS 65/60-7 new 225 ILCS 65/60-10
41	41	225 ILCS 65/60-5
42	42	225 ILCS 65/60-7 new
43	43	225 ILCS 65/60-10
44	44	Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that one of the criteria that the Board of Nursing shall take into consideration when reviewing a registered professional nurse education program is whether the program satisfies specified criteria in provisions regarding program effectiveness (rather than satisfies the measurement of program effectiveness based on a passage rate of all graduates over the 3 most recent calendar years without reference to first-time test takers). Provides that, in order for a program to obtain initial Department of Financial and Professional Regulation approval and to maintain Department approval, the passage rates of the program's graduating classes on the State-approved licensure exam must meet one of the measurements of program effectiveness (rather than be deemed satisfactory by the Department). Provides that a registered professional nurse education program meeting one of the measurements of program effectiveness shall be deemed in good standing. Provides that the Department may, without hearing, rescind the license of any person who obtained a license or other authorization to practice under the Act based on educational credits received from a registered professional nurse education program that did not meet a set of requirements during the time period when the person obtained the credits. Sets forth requirements for program effectiveness. Effective immediately.
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46	46	LRB104 07560 AAS 17604 b
47	47	A BILL FOR
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53	53	225 ILCS 65/60-5
54	54	225 ILCS 65/60-7 new
55	55	225 ILCS 65/60-10
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74	74	1 program to recruit faculty and students, financial support
75	75	2 for the program, and other criteria, as established by
76	76	3 rule;
77	77	4 (2) program curriculum that meets all State
78	78	5 requirements;
79	79	6 (2.5) whether the program satisfies one of the
80	80	7 criteria for program effectiveness set forth in Section
81	81	8 60-7 measurement of program effectiveness based on a
82	82	9 passage rate of all graduates over the 3 most recent
83	83	10 calendar years without reference to first-time test
84	84	11 takers;
85	85	12 (3) the administration of the program by a Nurse
86	86	13 Administrator and the involvement of a Nurse Administrator
87	87	14 in the development of the program;
88	88	15 (4) the occurrence of a site visit prior to approval;
89	89	16 and
90	90	17 (5) beginning December 31, 2022, obtaining and
91	91	18 maintaining programmatic accreditation by a national
92	92	19 accrediting body for nursing education recognized by the
93	93	20 United States Department of Education and approved by the
94	94	21 Department.
95	95	22 The Department and Board of Nursing shall be notified
96	96	23 within 30 days if the program loses its accreditation. The
97	97	24 Department may adopt rules regarding a warning process and
98	98	25 reaccreditation.
99	99	26 (b) In order to obtain initial Department approval and to
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110	110	1 maintain Department approval, a registered professional
111	111	2 nursing program must meet all of the following requirements:
112	112	3 (1) The institution responsible for conducting the
113	113	4 program and the Nurse Administrator must ensure that
114	114	5 individual faculty members are academically and
115	115	6 professionally competent.
116	116	7 (2) The program curriculum must contain all applicable
117	117	8 requirements established by rule, including both theory
118	118	9 and clinical components.
119	119	10 (3) The passage rates of the program's graduating
120	120	11 classes on the State-approved licensure exam must meet one
121	121	12 of the measurements of program effectiveness set forth in
122	122	13 Section 60-7 be deemed satisfactory by the Department.
123	123	14 On and after the effective date of this amendatory Act of
124	124	15 the 104th General Assembly, a registered professional nurse
125	125	16 education program meeting one of the measurements of program
126	126	17 effectiveness referenced in Section 60-7 of this Act shall be
127	127	18 deemed in good standing.
128	128	19 (c) Program site visits to an institution conducting or
129	129	20 hosting a professional nursing program may be made at the
130	130	21 discretion of the Nursing Coordinator or upon recommendation
131	131	22 of the Board. Full routine site visits may be conducted by the
132	132	23 Department for periodic evaluation. Such visits shall be used
133	133	24 to determine compliance with this Act. Full routine site
134	134	25 visits must be announced and may be waived at the discretion of
135	135	26 the Department if the program maintains accreditation with an
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146	146	1 accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of
147	147	2 Education and approved by the Department.
148	148	3 (d) Any institution conducting a registered professional
149	149	4 nursing program that wishes to discontinue the program must do
150	150	5 each of the following:
151	151	6 (1) Notify the Department, in writing, of its intent
152	152	7 to discontinue the program.
153	153	8 (2) Continue to meet the requirements of this Act and
154	154	9 the rules adopted thereunder until the official date of
155	155	10 termination of the program.
156	156	11 (3) Notify the Department of the date on which the
157	157	12 last student shall graduate from the program and the
158	158	13 program shall terminate.
159	159	14 (4) Assist remaining students in the continuation of
160	160	15 their education in the event of program termination prior
161	161	16 to the graduation of the program's final student.
162	162	17 (5) Upon the closure of the program, notify the
163	163	18 Department, in writing, of the location of student and
164	164	19 graduate records' storage.
165	165	20 (e) Out-of-State registered professional nursing education
166	166	21 programs planning to offer clinical practice experiences in
167	167	22 this State must meet the requirements set forth in this
168	168	23 Section and must meet the clinical and faculty requirements
169	169	24 for institutions outside of this State, as established by
170	170	25 rule. The institution responsible for conducting an
171	171	26 out-of-State registered professional nursing education program
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182	182	1 and the administrator of the program shall be responsible for
183	183	2 ensuring that the individual faculty and preceptors overseeing
184	184	3 the clinical experience are academically and professionally
185	185	4 competent.
186	186	5 (f) The Department may, without hearing, rescind the
187	187	6 license of any person who obtained a license or other
188	188	7 authorization to practice under this Act based on educational
189	189	8 credits received from a registered professional nurse
190	190	9 education program that did not meet one of the following
191	191	10 requirements during the time period when the person obtained
192	192	11 the credits:
193	193	12 (1) for State-approved programs, the requirements of
194	194	13 this Section; or
195	195	14 (2) for programs approved by another state, the
196	196	15 requirements under that state's law.
197	197	16 Such rescission shall not constitute discipline as
198	198	17 provided in Section 70-5 of this Act. Such rescission shall
199	199	18 not be an automatic bar to licensure if the applicant elects to
200	200	19 re-apply; however, nothing in this subsection shall prevent
201	201	20 the Department from considering the rescission during a future
202	202	21 regulatory action. The Department may adopt rules to implement
203	203	22 this subsection.
204	204	23 (Source: P.A. 103-533, eff. 1-1-24.)
205	205	24 (225 ILCS 65/60-7 new)
206	206	25 Sec. 60-7. Registered professional nurse education program
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217	217	1 effectiveness. The measure of a registered professional nurse
218	218	2 education program's effectiveness is determined by whether:
219	219	3 (a) the program's most recent annual pass rate on a
220	220	4 State-approved licensure examination is 75% or greater for all
221	221	5 first-time test takers; or
222	222	6 (b) the program's average pass rate on a State-approved
223	223	7 licensure examination for the last 3 years is 75% or greater
224	224	8 for all first-time test takers.
225	225	9 (225 ILCS 65/60-10)
226	226	10 (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2028)
227	227	11 Sec. 60-10. RN licensure by examination.
228	228	12 (a) Each applicant who successfully meets the requirements
229	229	13 of this Section is eligible for licensure as a registered
230	230	14 professional nurse.
231	231	15 (b) An applicant for licensure by examination to practice
232	232	16 as a registered professional nurse is eligible for licensure
233	233	17 when the following requirements are met:
234	234	18 (1) the applicant has submitted a completed written
235	235	19 application, on forms provided by the Department, and
236	236	20 fees, as established by the Department;
237	237	21 (2) the applicant has graduated from a professional
238	238	22 nursing education program approved by the Department or
239	239	23 has been granted a certificate of completion of
240	240	24 pre-licensure requirements from another United States
241	241	25 jurisdiction;
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252	252	1 (3) the applicant has successfully completed a
253	253	2 licensure examination approved by the Department;
254	254	3 (4) (blank);
255	255	4 (5) the applicant has submitted to the criminal
256	256	5 history records check required under Section 50-35 of this
257	257	6 Act;
258	258	7 (6) the applicant has submitted, either to the
259	259	8 Department or its designated testing service, a fee
260	260	9 covering the cost of providing the examination; failure to
261	261	10 appear for the examination on the scheduled date at the
262	262	11 time and place specified after the applicant's application
263	263	12 for examination has been received and acknowledged by the
264	264	13 Department or the designated testing service shall result
265	265	14 in the forfeiture of the examination fee; and
266	266	15 (7) the applicant has met all other requirements
267	267	16 established by the Department by rule.
268	268	17 An applicant for licensure by examination may take the
269	269	18 Department-approved examination in another jurisdiction.
270	270	19 (b-3) An applicant who graduates from a professional
271	271	20 nursing program in this State on or after January 1, 2024 (the
272	272	21 effective date of Public Act 103-533) this amendatory Act of
273	273	22 the 103rd General Assembly and does not take the licensure
274	274	23 examination within 180 days after his or her degree is
275	275	24 conferred by the institution of higher education or fails the
276	276	25 licensure examination for a second time shall be required to
277	277	26 demonstrate proof of completion of a National Council
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288	288	1 Licensure Examination preparatory class or a comparable test
289	289	2 preparatory program before taking a subsequent licensure
290	290	3 examination or the graduate may return to the institution of
291	291	4 higher education from which he or she graduated which shall
292	292	5 provide remedial educational resources to the graduate at no
293	293	6 cost to the graduate. Such an applicant must contact the
294	294	7 institution of higher education from which he or she graduated
295	295	8 prior to retesting.
296	296	9 (b-4) (Blank). All professional nursing programs in
297	297	10 probationary status on the effective date of this amendatory
298	298	11 Act of the 103rd General Assembly and subject to a program
299	299	12 revision plan shall be deemed in good standing for a period of
300	300	13 3 years beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act
301	301	14 of the 103rd General Assembly. Prior to September 1, 2026, no
302	302	15 professional nursing program shall be placed on probationary
303	303	16 status for failing to reach a passage rate of less than 75%.
304	304	17 (b-5) If an applicant for licensure by examination
305	305	18 neglects, fails, or refuses to take an examination or fails to
306	306	19 pass an examination for a license within 3 years of the date of
307	307	20 initial application, the application shall be denied. When an
308	308	21 applicant's application is denied due to the failure to pass
309	309	22 the examination within the 3-year period, that applicant must
310	310	23 undertake an additional course of education as defined by rule
311	311	24 prior to submitting a new application for licensure. Any new
312	312	25 application must be accompanied by the required fee, evidence
313	313	26 of meeting the requirements in force at the time of the new
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324	324	1 application, and evidence of completion of the additional
325	325	2 course of education prescribed by rule.
326	326	3 (c) An applicant for licensure by examination shall have
327	327	4 one year after the date of notification of the successful
328	328	5 completion of the examination to apply to the Department for a
329	329	6 license. If an applicant fails to apply within one year, the
330	330	7 applicant shall be required to retake and pass the examination
331	331	8 unless licensed in another jurisdiction of the United States.
332	332	9 (d) An applicant for licensure by examination who passes
333	333	10 the Department-approved licensure examination for professional
334	334	11 nursing may obtain employment as a license-pending registered
335	335	12 nurse and practice under the direction of a registered
336	336	13 professional nurse or an advanced practice registered nurse
337	337	14 until such time as he or she receives his or her license to
338	338	15 practice or until the license is denied. In no instance shall
339	339	16 any such applicant practice or be employed in any management
340	340	17 capacity. An individual may be employed as a license-pending
341	341	18 registered nurse if all of the following criteria are met:
342	342	19 (1) He or she has completed and passed the
343	343	20 Department-approved licensure exam and presents to the
344	344	21 employer the official written notification indicating
345	345	22 successful passage of the licensure examination.
346	346	23 (2) He or she has completed and submitted to the
347	347	24 Department an application for licensure under this Section
348	348	25 as a registered professional nurse.
349	349	26 (3) He or she has submitted the required licensure
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360	360	1 fee.
361	361	2 (4) He or she has met all other requirements
362	362	3 established by rule, including having submitted to a
363	363	4 criminal history records check.
364	364	5 (e) The privilege to practice as a license-pending
365	365	6 registered nurse shall terminate with the occurrence of any of
366	366	7 the following:
367	367	8 (1) Six months have passed since the official date of
368	368	9 passing the licensure exam as inscribed on the formal
369	369	10 written notification indicating passage of the exam. The
370	370	11 6-month license-pending period may be extended if more
371	371	12 time is needed by the Department to process the licensure
372	372	13 application.
373	373	14 (2) Receipt of the registered professional nurse
374	374	15 license from the Department.
375	375	16 (3) Notification from the Department that the
376	376	17 application for licensure has been refused.
377	377	18 (4) A request by the Department that the individual
378	378	19 terminate practicing as a license-pending registered nurse
379	379	20 until an official decision is made by the Department to
380	380	21 grant or deny a registered professional nurse license.
381	381	22 (f) (Blank).
382	382	23 (g) (Blank).
383	383	24 (h) (Blank).
384	384	25 (i) (Blank).
385	385	26 (j) (Blank).
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396	396	1 (k) All applicants for registered professional nurse
397	397	2 licensure have 3 years after the date of application to
398	398	3 complete the application process. If the process has not been
399	399	4 completed within 3 years after the date of application, the
400	400	5 application shall be denied, the fee forfeited, and the
401	401	6 applicant must reapply and meet the requirements in effect at
402	402	7 the time of reapplication.
403	403	8 (l) All applicants for registered nurse licensure by
404	404	9 examination who are graduates of practical nursing educational
405	405	10 programs in a country other than the United States and its
406	406	11 territories shall have their nursing education credentials
407	407	12 evaluated by a Department-approved nursing credentialing
408	408	13 evaluation service. No such applicant may be issued a license
409	409	14 under this Act unless the applicant's program is deemed by the
410	410	15 nursing credentialing evaluation service to be equivalent to a
411	411	16 professional nursing education program approved by the
412	412	17 Department. An applicant who has graduated from a nursing
413	413	18 educational program outside of the United States or its
414	414	19 territories and whose first language is not English shall
415	415	20 submit evidence of English proficiency, as defined by rule.
416	416	21 (m) (Blank).
417	417	22 (Source: P.A. 103-533, eff. 1-1-24; 103-686, eff. 1-1-25.)
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