(a) The Department may issue a license as a respiratory care practitioner without the required examination, to an applicant licensed under the laws of another state or United States jurisdiction whose standards in the opinion of the Department, are substantially equivalent at the date of his or her licensure in the other jurisdiction to the requirements of this Act or the applicant, at the time of licensure, possessed individual qualifications which were substantially equivalent to the requirements of this Act. The applicant shall pay all of the required fees.
     (b) An applicant shall have 3 years from the date of application to complete the application process. If the process has not been completed within 3 years, the application shall be denied, the fee forfeited, and the applicant must reapply and meet the requirements in effect at the time of reapplication.