House Republicans reveal IDFPR bill package to provide fixes

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House Minority Leader Tony McCombie held a press conference this week to discuss the ongoing issues at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. McCombie stood alongside State Representatives Dave Severin and Bill Hauter to talk about the frustration IDFPR has caused residents and discuss their legislative package to provide solutions.

The package includes McCombie’s License Convenience Act (House Bill 4855), which would require the department to accept electronic payments for licenses and fees.

“IDFPR is too often the barrier to people working,” said McCombie. “Significant delays, breakdowns in communications, lost applications, and just overall dysfunction have too often resulted in bipartisan frustration with this agency. We have written letters, reached out to the Director, and many of us have seen first-hand the pain this agency causes our constituents who want to work throughout the state. It is imperative this agency comes to terms with its own mismanagement and implements solutions. Not years from now, but now…. Where is the sense of urgency?”

“Illinois is losing highly-compensated, highly-trained individuals like physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, physical therapists, veterinarians and many more to other states. Why? Because we can’t get our licensing act together,” Hauter said.

House Bill 1572, sponsored by Rep. Hauter, expedites licensure for health care professionals. Applicants for licenses in Illinois often face longer wait times than applicants in neighboring states, making it harder for health care facilities in Illinois to hire personnel and meet the state’s health care needs.

Below is the IDFPR legislative package House Republicans revealed this week:

Lowering Barriers and Costs for Licensure

o   HB 4855 (McCombie) Requires DFPR to accept online payments

o   HB 5147, HB 5148 (Davidsmeyer), HB 5006 (Coffey) Lowers licensure
costs

License Reciprocity and Expedited Licensure

o   HB 4988 (Spain) Nurse Licensure Compact

o   HB 5608 (Jacobs) Universal Recognition of Licenses Act to streamline
out-of-state licensees

o   HB 1572 (Hauter) Expedited licensure for health care professionals

o   HB 4617 (Davidsmeyer) Reciprocity and online education for
cosmetologists

o   HB 4570 (Severin) Streamline teaching requirements for cosmetologists
and barbers

Learning More About Licensing

o   HB 5007 (Coffey) Creates the Licensure Reform Task Force to gather
facts on licensure delays and costs

o   HB 3437 (Hauter) Creates a Task Force to determine if prescribing
psychologists’ scope can be expanded while maintaining safety for
patients