SPRINGFIELD – A new law sponsored by State Senator Karina Villa expands opportunities for Spanish-speakers to become certified nursing assistants.
“As our state continues to face a health care worker shortage, we must encourage individuals to seek opportunities in the field by addressing unreasonable barriers that exist,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “By increasing language accessibility for CNA licensing exams, we are ensuring more capable and diverse individuals are able to serve in our communities.”
The new law requires the Illinois Department of Public Health to create rules to offer the nursing assistant certification exam in Spanish while preventing restrictions on eligibility for individuals seeking to take the exam in Spanish.
“This progress is the result of a genuine case of a person who was only fluent in Spanish being denied the chance to become a nursing assistant because the exam is only available in English,” said State Representative Barbara Hernandez (D-Aurora). “Even as we try to increase the number of caregivers in our state, we are turning away people who want to do that good work without good cause. That has to stop.”
House Bill 5218 was signed into law Friday and is effective immediately.
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