IL SB3228

Amends the Illinois Physical Therapy Act to require applicants for licensure as physical therapists and physical therapist assistants to submit fingerprints for criminal history background checks.

Fingerprints must be submitted electronically to the Illinois State Police in compliance with their prescribed format and transmitted through a live scan fingerprint vendor licensed by the Department.

Fingerprints will be checked against Illinois State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal history databases, with the State Police providing conviction records to the Department.

The Illinois State Police may charge applicants a fee for conducting the criminal history records check, deposited into the State Police Services Fund and capped at actual cost of the check.

The Department may require applicants to pay an additional separate fingerprinting fee to the Department or an approved vendor, and may allow alternative fingerprinting methods for applicants without reasonable vendor access.