# Illinois HJR0053: PROFESSIONAL DEGREES-LICENSURE Illinois HJR0053, PROFESSIONAL DEGREES-LICENSURE, is a 104th General Assembly (2025–2026) House bill sponsored by Lindsey LaPointe (Democratic); status passed house, last action 2026-05-28 (Resolution Adopted 072-027-000) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-HJR0053-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Illinois HJR0053 - State: Illinois - Session: 104th General Assembly (2025–2026) - Title: PROFESSIONAL DEGREES-LICENSURE - Status: passed house - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-02-04 - Last action: 2026-05-28, Resolution Adopted 072-027-000 - Sponsor: Lindsey LaPointe (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 10 - Subjects: health care licenses - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (86 yes, 27 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Expresses the belief that nursing, social work, professional counseling, marriage and family therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, physician assistant practice, public health, and education are professional disciplines that require advanced graduate education, professional licensure, and adherence to rigorous ethical and clinical standards. Lists the graduate degrees that should be considered professional degrees. States that any state agency, public university, or entity receiving state funds should take all necessary steps to avoid discrimination against individuals holding these graduate degrees in hiring, promotion, compensation, professional development funding, or other terms and conditions of employment based on any federal student loan classification. Urges the United States Department of Education to include all graduate degrees in nursing, social work, counseling, therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, physician assistant practice, public health, and education in its definition of "professional degrees" for federal student loan purposes. Urges the Illinois Congressional Delegation to advocate for legislation to ensure that graduate students in all health and human services professions have access to adequate federal student loan funding to complete their professional education. Commits to exploring state-level solutions to support graduate education in health and human services professions, including but not limited to scholarships, grants, loan repayment assistance programs, and other workforce development initiatives. Expresses support for the licensed health and human services professionals in Illinois who serve our most vulnerable populations with skill, compassion, and unwavering commitment to the public good. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Lindsey LaPointe (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Gregg Johnson (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jawaharial Williams (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Katie Stuart (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Lisa Davis (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Margaret A. DeLaRosa (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Martha Deuter (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Michael Crawford (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Michelle Mussman (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Nicolle Grasse (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Yolonda Morris (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-05-28 | House | Resolution Adopted | pass | 72 | 27 | | | 2026-04-15 | House | Recommends Be Adopted Health Care Licenses Committee; | pass | 14 | 0 | | ## Actions (16) - 2026-05-28: Resolution Adopted 072-027-000 (House) - 2026-05-28: Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Michael Crawford (House) - 2026-05-28: Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Jawaharial Williams (House) - 2026-05-28: Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Margaret A. DeLaRosa (House) - 2026-05-28: Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Yolonda Morris (House) - 2026-05-28: Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Michelle Mussman (House) - 2026-05-28: Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Lisa Davis (House) - 2026-05-28: Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Martha Deuter (House) - 2026-05-28: Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Nicolle Grasse (House) - 2026-04-15: Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Gregg Johnson (House) - 2026-04-15: Placed on Calendar Order of Resolutions (House) - 2026-04-15: Recommends Be Adopted Health Care Licenses Committee; 014-000-000 (House) - 2026-03-12: Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Katie Stuart (House) - 2026-03-04: Assigned to Health Care Licenses Committee (House) - 2026-02-17: Referred to Rules Committee (House) - 2026-02-04: Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Lindsey LaPointe (House) ## Bill text - Introduced: [PDF](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HJR/PDF/10400HJ0053lv.pdf) ## Related bills - HB5198: AFFORDABLE HOUSING-CILAS (passed house) - SB1937: PENSION CODE-VARIOUS (passed senate) - HB2563: CONDO-RESERVE STUDY (in committee) - HB4701: LIMITATIONS FACILITY FEES ACT (in committee) - SB3008: DHS-ABLE PROGRAM INFO MATERIAL (passed senate) - SB3484: VEH CD-PLATES-REGISTRATION (signed) ## Sources - [Introduced (PDF)](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HJR/PDF/10400HJ0053lv.pdf) ## Related - [HB5198: AFFORDABLE HOUSING-CILAS](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-HB5198-2025-2026) - [SB1937: PENSION CODE-VARIOUS](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-SB1937-2025-2026) - [HB2563: CONDO-RESERVE STUDY](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-HB2563-2025-2026) - [HB4701: LIMITATIONS FACILITY FEES ACT](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-HB4701-2025-2026) - [SB3008: DHS-ABLE PROGRAM INFO MATERIAL](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-SB3008-2025-2026) - [SB3484: VEH CD-PLATES-REGISTRATION](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-SB3484-2025-2026) - [Illinois bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/illinois/bills) - [Illinois state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/illinois) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-HJR0053-2025-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).