Dupage Policy Journal

Terra Costa Howard introduced HB1807 in the Illinois House on Jan. 28, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "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."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Nurse Practice Act, detailing guidelines and requirements for registered professional nursing education programs in Illinois. It aims to ensure these programs prepare graduates for safe and effective nursing practice through adherence to established standards. The provisions include processes for establishing new programs, requirements for faculty qualifications, student admission and progression policies, curriculum standards, and accreditation mandates. It also sets conditions for programs to maintain state approval and outlines the regulatory framework for addressing noncompliance, such as unannounced site visits based on certain triggers. The bill specifies that programs must achieve accreditation by a national body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and details conditions under which simulation activities may partly substitute for traditional clinical experiences. Additionally, the bill sets guidelines for licensure by examination for registered nurses, including application procedures, examination attempts, and employment as a license-pending RN. The act takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Terra Costa Howard has proposed another eight bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Howard graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1993 with a BA and again in 1996 from DePaul University with a JD.

Terra Costa Howard is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 42nd House District. She replaced previous state representative Amy L. Grant in 2023.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB1807	01/28/2025	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.
HB1832	01/28/2025	Amends the Department of Central Management Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. In provisions regarding the management of State buildings, grants the Department of Central Management Services the power to manage, operate, maintain, and preserve from waste real properties (rather than only real properties transferred to the Department under a specified provision). Authorizes the Department of Central Management Services to grant easements and accept easements with respect to the affected properties, on such terms and conditions that in the judgment of the Director of Central Management Services are in the best interests of the State. Removes the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago from the list of properties managed by the Department of Central Management Services. Adds 115 South LaSalle Street in Chicago to the list of properties managed by the Department of Central Management Services. Makes conforming changes.
HB1801	01/27/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. In counties with fewer than 3,000,000 inhabitants, provides that property that receives an erroneous homestead exemption for the current assessment year or for any of the 3 prior assessment years may be considered omitted property. Provides for penalties and interest to be imposed on that omitted property. Provides that any arrearage of taxes or interest that might have been assessed against that omitted property shall not be chargeable to certain bona fide purchasers of the property. Effective immediately.
HB1714	01/24/2025	Amends the Guardians for Adults with Disabilities Article of the Probate Act of 1975. Provides that a person is qualified to act as guardian of a person with a disability and as guardian of the estate of a person with a disability if, among other requirements, the court finds that the proposed guardian is capable of providing an active and suitable program of guardianship for the person with a disability and that the proposed guardian has not been found to be an unfit person, unless the court finds the appointment of the person to have previously been found unfit to be in the best interests of the person with a disability, and as part of the best interests determination, the court has considered the nature of the determination of unfitness, the date of the determination, and the evidence of the proposed guardian's determination. Effective immediately.
HB1576	01/22/2025	Amends Court of Claims Act. Provides that judges appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate under the Act shall hold office for a term of 6 years and until their successors are appointed and qualified. Provides that each judge shall receive an annual salary as set by the Compensation Review Board. Authorizes the court to hold sessions and take evidence remotely as it deems necessary to expedite the business of the court. Authorizes the court to adopt administrative rules to provide for remote or electronic filing of a claim or other motion, participation in any capacity before the court, taking of evidence or testimony, conducting any business of the court, or payment of any fees to the court. Authorizes the court to adopt rules determining the form and manner of all filing fees and other charges due the court. Provides that all claims arising under the Act must filed within 5 years (instead of one year) of the crime on which a claim is based under the Crime Victims Compensation Act.
HB0042	01/09/2025	Amends the Illinois Local Library Act and the Public Library District Act of 1991. Authorizes costs paid by persons residing outside of the relevant library jurisdiction to be paid quarterly or biannually if permitted by board regulations. Effective immediately.
HB1087	01/09/2025	Amends the School Code. Provides that, after January 1, 2027, a school district may not procure disposable food service containers that are composed in whole or in part from polystyrene foam for use at any school and instead shall offer only compostable foodware or recyclable foodware for use at the school. Provides that, after January 1, 2028 or at the renewal of its next contract, whichever occurs later, no vendor contracted through a school district may provide a school with disposable food service containers that are composed in whole or in part from polystyrene foam at any site owned or leased by the school district and instead shall offer only compostable foodware or recyclable foodware for use at sites owned or leased by the school district.
HB1153	01/09/2025	Creates the Local Official Vacancy Posting Act. Provides that a unit of local government shall post every elected official vacancy on its website, if the full-time staff of the municipality maintain the website, and the county clerk shall also post the vacancy on the county clerk website. Provides that the unit of local government may not fill the vacancy until the posting has been on the municipality's website, or the county's website if the municipality does not have full-time staff maintaining a website, for at least 15 days. Limits home rule powers.
HB1168	01/09/2025	Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Provides that the definition of "day care center" does not include special activities programs that are conducted by civic, charitable, and governmental organizations on an organized basis (instead of special activities programs that are conducted on an organized and periodic basis). Adds programs offered by arboretums, nature centers, and botanic gardens to the special activities programs that are excluded from the definition of "day care center".
HB1198	01/09/2025	Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Provides that if guardianship is necessary under law and the petition for guardianship is filed by a person, corporation, nonprofit organization, or other entity with no legally recognized relationship to the alleged person with a disability, the court shall appoint the State Guardian or county public guardian as the temporary and permanent guardian of the person or estate or both except in counties in which there is no sitting county public guardian.