Illinois Legislature approves new registered nursing education guidelines authored by Rep. Howard

Legislation authored by State Rep. Terra Costa Howard has passed, setting forth updated requirements and oversight measures for registered nursing education programs through revised directives, accreditation requirements, and regulatory standards, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

The measure saw support in the House from 75 Democrats and 38 Republicans.

In the Senate, 38 Democrats and 19 Republicans voted in favor of the legislation.

Howard introduced the bill in the Illinois House on Jan. 28, 2025, during the 104th session.

The legislation, designated as HB1807, was approved on May 27, 2026, during general assembly session 104.

The Illinois General Assembly site lists this official bill summary: "Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Makes changes to the requirements for a registered professional nursing education program in provisions concerning the establishment of a new program, program policies, faculty members, training and development, the program's curriculum, the program's use of simulation, the accreditation process, approval by the Board of Nursing, and the program closure process. Makes a conforming change. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may, without hearing, rescind the license of any person who obtain a license after completing a program or obtaining credit from a program that does not meet the requirements of the provisions regarding registered professional nursing education programs. In provisions concerning nursing licensure by examination, removes the provision regarding the good standing period for professional nursing programs on probationary status."

Below is an overview based on the actual bill text, offering interpretation to clarify key provisions.

Essentially, the bill modifies the Nurse Practice Act by specifying requirements for registered professional nursing education programs in Illinois. Its objective is to ensure graduates achieve competency for safe, effective nursing practice aligned with updated standards. Provisions cover the processes for creating new programs, outlining faculty criteria, student admissions and progression, curriculum expectations, and accreditation. It establishes criteria for sustaining state approval and describes regulatory tools for managing noncompliance, including surprise site visits triggered under certain circumstances. Programs are required to secure accreditation from a national agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, with further rules on using simulation activities as partial substitutes for traditional clinical experiences. Licensure by examination provisions are also addressed, specifying application steps, limits on examination attempts, and allowances for employment as a license-pending RN. This act is set to take effect July 1, 2026.

The bill's sponsors include Rep. Sharon Chung (Democrat-91st District), Sen. Chris Balkema (Republican-53rd District), Sen. Craig Wilcox (Republican-32nd District), and five others.

Illinois bills proceed through a multi-phase legislative process beginning with introduction in either chamber, review by committee, floor debates, and votes in each chamber before approaching the governor for enactment or veto. The General Assembly functions on a two-year cycle. While thousands of measures are introduced per session, only a portion move to become law.

For additional details on legislation and other measures, visit this site.

Howard earned a BA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1993 and later received her JD from DePaul University in 1996.

Howard, a Democrat, was elected to the Illinois State House in 2023 representing the 42nd House District and succeeded Amy L. Grant.

Following the final vote that led to the bill’s passage, legislators in both the House and Senate held an additional vote related to a concurrence. The earlier vote is outlined below for further context.