RECOGNITION OF LICENSES ACT

Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB4920

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HB4920 - 104th General Assembly

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4920

Introduced , by Rep. Maurice A. West, II

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Universal Recognition of Occupational Licenses Act.
Defines terms, including that "board" means a government agency, board,
department, or other government entity that regulates a lawful occupation
and issues an occupational license or government certification to an
individual. Provides that, notwithstanding any other State law to the
contrary, a board in the State shall issue an occupational license or
government certification to a person who holds an occupational license or
government certification in another state if the person satisfies
specified conditions. Provides that, notwithstanding any other State law
to the contrary, a board shall issue an occupational license or government
certification to a person upon application based on work experience in
another state if the person satisfies specified conditions. Sets forth
provisions concerning State law examinations; decisions of a board;
appeals; State laws and jurisdiction; exceptions to the Act; limitations
of the Act; application fees; and emergency powers. Effective immediately.
LRB104 16845 AAS 30255 b

A BILL FOR

HB4920
LRB104 16845 AAS 30255 b
1

AN ACT concerning regulation.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 1.
Short title.
This Act may be cited as the
5
Universal Recognition of Occupational Licenses Act.

6

Section 5.
Definitions.
As used in this Act:
7

"Board" means a governmental agency, board, department, or
8
other governmental entity that regulates a lawful occupation
9
and issues an occupational license or government certification
10
to an individual.
11

"Government certification" means a voluntary,
12
government-granted, and nontransferable recognition to an
13
individual who meets personal qualifications related to a
14
lawful occupation that, upon the government's initial and
15
continuing approval, the individual may use "government
16
certified" or "state certified" as a title. "Government
17
certification" does not mean "occupational license."
18
"Government certification" does not include credentials, such
19
as those used for medical-board certification or held by a
20
certified public accountant, that are prerequisites to working
21
lawfully in an occupation.
22

"Lawful occupation" means a course of conduct, pursuit, or
23
profession that includes the sale of goods or services that

HB4920
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LRB104 16845 AAS 30255 b
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are not themselves illegal to sell, irrespective of whether
2
the individual selling them is subject to an occupational
3
license.
4

"Military" means the Armed Forces of the United States
5
including the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps,
6
Navy, Space Force, National Guard, and all reserve components
7
and auxiliaries. "Military" includes the military reserves and
8
militia of any United States territory or state.
9

"Occupational license" means a nontransferable
10
authorization by law for an individual to perform exclusively
11
a lawful occupation based on meeting personal qualifications.
12
"Occupational license" includes a military occupational
13
specialty.
14

"Other state" or "another state" means any territory or
15
state other than this State in the United States. It also means
16
any branch or unit of the military.
17

"Scope of practice" means the procedures, actions,
18
processes, and work that a person may perform under an
19
occupational license or government certification issued in
20
this State.

21

Section 10.
Recognition of another occupational license or
22
government certification.
23

(a) Notwithstanding any other State law to the contrary, a
24
board shall issue an occupational license or government
25
certification to a person upon application if all the

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LRB104 16845 AAS 30255 b
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following apply:
2

(1) the person holds a current and valid occupational
3

license or government certification in another state in a
4

lawful occupation with a similar scope of practice, as
5

determined by the relevant board in this State;
6

(2) the person has held the occupational license or
7

government certification in the other state for at least
8

one year;
9

(3) the board in the other state required the person
10

to pass an examination or to meet education, training, or
11

experience standards;
12

(4) the board in the other state holds the person in
13

good standing;
14

(5) the person does not have a disqualifying criminal
15

record as determined by the relevant board in this State
16

under State law;
17

(6) no board in another state revoked the person's
18

occupational license or government certification because
19

of negligence or intentional misconduct related to the
20

person's work in the occupation;
21

(7) the person did not surrender the occupational
22

license or government certification because of negligence
23

or intentional misconduct related to the person's work in
24

the occupation in another state;
25

(8) the person does not have a complaint, allegation,
26

or investigation pending before a board in another state

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LRB104 16845 AAS 30255 b
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which relates to unprofessional conduct or an alleged
2

crime. If the person has a complaint, allegation, or
3

investigation pending, then the relevant board in this
4

State may not issue or deny an occupational license or
5

government certification to the person until the
6

complaint, allegation, or investigation is resolved or the
7

person otherwise meets the criteria for an occupational
8

license or government certification in this State to the
9

satisfaction of the relevant board in this State; and
10

(9) the person pays all applicable fees to the State.
11

(b) If another state issued the person a government
12
certification but the relevant board in this State requires an
13
occupational license to work, then the relevant board in this
14
State shall issue an occupational license to the person if the
15
person otherwise satisfies subsection (a).

16

Section 15.
Recognition of work experience.
17
Notwithstanding any other State law to the contrary, a board
18
shall issue an occupational license or government
19
certification to a person upon application based on work
20
experience in another state if all the following apply:
21

(1) the person worked in a state that does not use an
22

occupational license or government certification to
23

regulate a lawful occupation, but this State uses an
24

occupational license or government certification to
25

regulate a lawful occupation with a similar scope of

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LRB104 16845 AAS 30255 b
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practice, as determined by the relevant board;
2

(2) the person worked for at least 3 years in the
3

lawful occupation; and
4

(3) the person satisfies paragraphs (5), (6), (7),
5

(8), and (9) of subsection (a) of Section 10.

6

Section 20.
State law examination.
A board may require a
7
person to pass a jurisprudential examination specific to
8
relevant State laws that regulate the occupation if an
9
occupational license or government certification in this State
10
requires a person to pass a jurisprudential examination
11
specific to relevant State statutes and administrative rules
12
that regulate the occupation.

13

Section 25.
Decision.
A board shall provide the person
14
with a written decision regarding the application within 30
15
days after receiving a complete application.

16

Section 30.
Appeal.
17

(a) The person may appeal a board's decision to a court of
18
general jurisdiction.
19

(b) The person may appeal a board's:
20

(1) denial of an occupational license or government
21

certification;
22

(2) determination of the occupation;
23

(3) determination of the similarity of the scope of

HB4920
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LRB104 16845 AAS 30255 b
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practice of the occupational license or government
2

certification issued; or
3

(4) other determinations under this Act.

4

Section 35.
State laws and jurisdiction.
A person who
5
obtains an occupational license or government certification
6
pursuant to this Act is subject to:
7

(1) the laws regulating the occupation in this State;
8

and
9

(2) the jurisdiction of the relevant board in this
10

State.

11

Section 40.
Exception.
This Act does not apply to an
12
occupation regulated by the Illinois Supreme Court.

13

Section 45.
Limitations.
14

(a) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit a
15
person from applying for an occupational license or government
16
certification under another statute or rule in State law.
17

(b) An occupational license or government certification
18
issued pursuant to this Act is valid only in this State. It
19
does not make the person eligible to work in another state
20
under an interstate compact or reciprocity agreement unless
21
otherwise provided by law.
22

(c) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prevent this
23
State from entering into a licensing compact or reciprocity

HB4920
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LRB104 16845 AAS 30255 b
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agreement with another state, foreign province, or foreign
2
country.
3

(d) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prevent this
4
State from recognizing occupational credentials issued by a
5
private certification organization, foreign province, foreign
6
country, international organization, or other entity.
7

(e) Nothing in this Act may be construed to require a
8
private certification organization to grant or deny private
9
certification to any individual.

10

Section 50.
Application fees.
A board may charge a fee,
11
not to exceed $100, to an applicant to recoup its costs for
12
each application.

13

Section 55.
Emergency powers.
14

(a) During a declared emergency, the Governor may order
15
the recognition of an occupational license from another state
16
or foreign country as if the license was issued by this State.
17

(b) The Governor may expand any license's scope of
18
practice and may authorize any licensee to provide services in
19
this State in person, telephonically, or by other means for
20
the duration of the emergency.

21

Section 99.
Effective date.
This Act takes effect upon
22
becoming law.

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