State Representative Tom Weber criticized the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation on Apr. 16 for what he described as weak background checks in its licensing process. Weber spoke out against House Bill 4762, a measure that would change how individuals with criminal convictions are reviewed during the licensing process.
The issue is important because it affects public safety and the standards used to determine who can work in regulated professions. Weber said the current system has already allowed several licensed massage therapists who assaulted women to keep their licenses due to failures by the agency.
“Speaking in opposition to legislation (HB4762) that would weaken the licensing review process for individuals convicted of criminal offenses, State Rep. Tom Weber blasted IDFPR for its current licensing failures and said the legislation would only lead to more dangerous incidents,” Weber said. He added that he has introduced bills several times aimed at making background checks stricter but believes HB4762 would have the opposite effect.
Weber also pointed out his ongoing efforts by stating, “Weber has filed legislation on multiple occasions to tighten the IDFPR licensing background check and review process, and noted that HB4762 does exactly the opposite.” He did not provide further details about specific proposals or alternative solutions during his remarks.
Weber was elected as a Republican member of the Illinois State House in 2019 representing District 64, succeeding Barbara Wheeler according to Ballotpedia.
It remains unclear what changes may be made before any final vote on HB4762 or whether additional oversight will be considered for professional licenses going forward.
