Renewal, reinstatement or restoration of licenses; military service

(225 ILCS 80/16) (from Ch. 111, par. 3916)     (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2032)     Sec. 16. Renewal, reinstatement or restoration of licenses; military service.     (a) The expiration date and renewal period for each license issued under this Act shall be set by rule.     (b) All renewal applicants shall provide proof of having met the requirements of continuing education set forth in the rules of the Department. The Department shall, by rule, provide for an orderly process for the reinstatement of licenses which have not been renewed due to failure to meet the continuing education requirements. The continuing education requirement may be waived for such good cause, including, but not limited to, illness or hardship, as defined by rules of the Department.     (c) The Department shall establish by rule a means for the verification of completion of the continuing education required by this Section. This verification may be accomplished through audits of records maintained by registrants; by requiring the filing of continuing education certificates with the Department; or by other means established by the Department.     (d) Any optometrist who has permitted the optometrist's license to expire or who has had the optometrist's license on inactive status may have the optometrist's license restored by making application to the Department and filing proof acceptable to the Department of the optometrist's fitness to have the optometrist's license restored and by paying the required fees. Such proof of fitness may include evidence certifying to active lawful practice in another jurisdiction and must include proof of the completion of the continuing education requirements specified in the rules for the preceding license renewal period that has been completed during the 2 years prior to the application for license restoration.     (e) The Department shall determine, by an evaluation program established by rule, an optometrist's fitness for restoration of the optometrist's license and shall establish procedures and requirements for such restoration.     However, any optometrist whose license expired while the person was (1) in Federal Service on active duty with the Armed Forces of the United States, or the State Militia called into service or training, or (2) in training or education under the supervision of the United States preliminary to induction into the military service, may have the person's license restored without paying any lapsed renewal fees if within 2 years after honorable termination of such service, training, or education, the person furnishes the Department with satisfactory evidence to the effect that the person has been so engaged and that the person's service, training, or education has been so terminated.     (f) All licenses without "Therapeutic Certification" on March 31, 2006 shall be placed on nonrenewed status and may only be renewed after the licensee meets those requirements established by the Department that may not be waived. All licensees on March 31, 2010 without a certification of completion of an oral pharmaceutical course as required by this Section shall be placed on nonrenewed status and may only be renewed after the licensee meets those requirements established by the Department that may not be waived. (Source: P.A. 104-796, eff. 8-7-26.)