IllinoisIllinois can suspend nursing licenses when application credentials fall short
Illinois nursing regulators can suspend a person's permission to practice without a prior hearing while checking qualifications if required credentials were missing when the person applied.
What it does
Illinois nursing regulators can suspend permission to practice without a prior hearing if application credentials fell short. The suspension lasts until regulators receive satisfactory proof of overall qualifications.
Suspended license holders have 30 days after notice is served to request board review and submit proof of qualifications. An extension to provide proof keeps the suspension in place.
After board review, the director can withdraw a license for lack of qualifications or allow practice with conditions. Withdrawal alone does not block a later qualified application; separate discipline remains possible.
Argument forTemporarily stopping practice when required credentials are missing could protect patients while the state checks a nurse's qualifications.
Argument againstSuspension without a prior hearing could keep qualified nurses from working while they gather proof and wait for the board's review.
More detail
The state nursing licensing agency may temporarily suspend a person's license or permission to practice without a prior hearing. This applies to anyone licensed or authorized to practice under the Illinois Nurse Practice Act. The agency must find that the person did not meet the credential requirements in place when they applied. The suspension lasts until the agency receives satisfactory proof of the person's overall qualifications. The law took effect on July 31, 2026.
A suspended person may ask the nursing licensing board to review whether their license is valid. The review process covers people whose licenses are temporarily suspended under this section. The agency must send notice to the person's address or email address on record. The person must submit written proof of qualifications with the review request. The person may seek more time to provide proof, but the suspension remains in effect during that extension. The board reviews the request at its next regular meeting and sends its final recommendation to the director of the state's professional regulation division.
The director of the state's professional regulation division may withdraw the license for lack of qualifications or lift the suspension with conditions on practice. These decisions concern the license holder whose qualifications the board reviewed. The director's decision is based on the board's final recommendation. Withdrawal alone does not count as discipline or prevent a later application that meets the law's qualifications. Separate disciplinary proceedings may begin based on the board's recommendation or the agency's findings. They follow the same process as other disciplinary cases under the nursing law.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jul 31Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0677Latest
- Jul 31Effective Date July 31, 2026
- Jul 31Governor J. B. Pritzker ApprovedBecame Law
- Jun 18Sent to the GovernorTo Governor
- May 21Passed Both Houses
- Vote recorded Third Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- May 21Third Reading - Passed; 059-000-000Passed Senate
- May 19Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading **
- Apr 30Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading May 5, 2026
- Apr 30Second ReadingMinor
- Apr 28Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading April 29, 2026Minor
- Apr 28Approved for Consideration Assignments
- Apr 15Referred to Assignments
- Apr 15First ReadingMinor
- Apr 15Chief Senate Sponsor Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton
- Apr 15Placed on Calendar Order of First ReadingMinor
- Apr 15Arrive in SenateMinor
- Apr 14Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 110-000-000Passed House
- Vote recorded Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 14Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- Apr 14House Floor Amendment No. 1 AdoptedMajor
- Apr 10Held on Calendar Order of Second Reading - Short DebateMinor
- Apr 10Second Reading - Short DebateMinor
- Apr 9Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Yolonda Morris
- Apr 8House Floor Amendment No. 1 Recommends Be Adopted Health Care Licenses Committee; 013-000-000Minor
- Vote recorded Do Pass, Amendment 1. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 25House Floor Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Health Care Licenses Committee
- Mar 24House Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee
- Mar 24House Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Sharon ChungMinor
- Mar 19Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short DebateMinor
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 19Do Pass / Short Debate Health Care Licenses Committee; 015-000-000
- Mar 12Assigned to Health Care Licenses CommitteeMinor
- Feb 6Referred to Rules Committee
- Feb 6First ReadingMinor
- Feb 2Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Sharon ChungIntroduced
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