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| Public Act 103-1076 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning education. | ||||
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | ||||
represented in the General Assembly: | ||||
Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section | ||||
2-3.204 as follows: | ||||
(105 ILCS 5/2-3.204 new) | ||||
Sec. 2-3.204. Statewide master contract for prepackaged | ||||
meals. | ||||
(a) Throughout the State, students depend on schools to | ||||
provide nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free school | ||||
lunches each day. The General Assembly intends for school | ||||
districts to provide lunch options that satisfy religious | ||||
dietary requirements to the extent practicable. | ||||
(b) In this Section, "religious dietary food option" means | ||||
meals that meet specific foods and food preparation techniques | ||||
that satisfy religious dietary requirements. | ||||
(c) This Section is subject to appropriation, including | ||||
funding for any administrative costs reasonably incurred by | ||||
the State Board of Education in the administration of this | ||||
Section. | ||||
(d) Upon the execution of one or more statewide master | ||||
contracts entered into under subsection (g) and annually | ||||
thereafter, the State Board of Education shall notify school | ||||
districts of any prepackaged meal options, including, but not | ||
limited to, halal and kosher food options, available for | ||
purchase under a statewide master contract for the upcoming | ||
school year. A school district shall adopt procedures | ||
regarding ordering, preparing, and serving prepackaged meal | ||
options offered under a statewide master contract. | ||
A school district may not be charged more than the federal | ||
free rate of reimbursement for any meal offered under a | ||
statewide master contract. Any meal offered under a statewide | ||
master contract shall be eligible for and cost no more than the | ||
federal free rate of reimbursement. | ||
(e) All meal options available under a statewide master | ||
contract under subsection (g) must meet the federal | ||
nutritional standards set under the federal Richard B. Russell | ||
National School Lunch Act. Any meal offered under a statewide | ||
master contract under subsection (g) may not require a school | ||
district to purchase any special or additional kitchen | ||
preparation equipment or storage equipment and may not require | ||
either any specialized staff, other than those staff members | ||
who are currently available in a school, or any special | ||
certifications. | ||
(f) Any vendor offering halal food products to a school | ||
district under a statewide master contract under subsection | ||
(g) shall certify that the food or food product is halal and | ||
that the vendor is in compliance with the Halal Food Act. Any | ||
vendor offering kosher food products to a school district | ||
under a statewide master contract under subsection (g) shall | ||
certify that the food or food product is kosher and that the | ||
vendor is in compliance with the Kosher Food Act. A school | ||
district and the State Board of Education may rely upon these | ||
certifications. | ||
(g) The State Board of Education shall enter into one or | ||
more statewide master contracts with a vendor or vendors for | ||
prepackaged meals that meet the requirements of this Section | ||
for the purpose of providing options to school districts | ||
statewide to purchase religious dietary food options under | ||
this Section. The State Board of Education may enter into as | ||
many contracts as needed in order to provide access for school | ||
districts statewide. | ||
Each statewide master contract must include packaged meal | ||
delivery directly to any requesting school in this State at a | ||
uniform delivery cost, regardless of the school's location. | ||
The State Board of Education shall notify all school | ||
districts of the award of a statewide master contract as | ||
required in subsection (c) of Section 10-20.21 of this Code. | ||
No later than 60 days after receiving notice, a school | ||
district may purchase prepackaged meals from the contracted | ||
vendor. | ||
Section 10. The University of Illinois Hospital Act is | ||
amended by adding Section 8j as follows: | ||
(110 ILCS 330/8j new) | ||
Sec. 8j. Religious dietary food options. | ||
(a) In this Section, "religious dietary food options" | ||
means meals that meet specific foods and food preparation | ||
techniques that satisfy religious dietary requirements. | ||
(b) The University of Illinois Hospital shall offer, upon | ||
request provided with reasonable notice, at the University of | ||
Illinois Hospital, religious dietary food options that comply | ||
with federal and State nutritional guidelines. After an | ||
individual submits a request for a religious dietary food | ||
option, the University of Illinois Hospital shall make | ||
accommodations for the request as soon as the University of | ||
Illinois Hospital is able to provide the meals. | ||
(c) The provisions of this Section shall not infringe upon | ||
or affect any obligation in a contract entered into and in | ||
effect on or before the effective date of this amendatory Act | ||
of the 103rd General Assembly. | ||
Section 15. The Halal Food Act is amended by adding | ||
Section 25 as follows: | ||
(410 ILCS 637/25 new) | ||
Sec. 25. State facility halal food products. | ||
(a) In this Section, "State-owned or State-operated | ||
facility" means either of the following: | ||
(1) A hospital that is organized under the University | ||
of Illinois Hospital Act. | ||
(2) A penal institution, as that term is defined under | ||
Section 2-14 of the Criminal Code of 2012, that is owned or | ||
operated by the State. | ||
(b) Any halal food product offered by a State-owned or | ||
State-operated facility shall be purchased from a | ||
halal-certified vendor. Any person, organization, or vendor | ||
falsely representing a food product it provides as halal or | ||
falsely representing itself as a halal-certified vendor is | ||
subject to penalties under this Act. | ||
(c) The provisions of this Section shall not infringe upon | ||
or affect any obligation in a contract entered into and in | ||
effect on or before the effective date of this amendatory Act | ||
of the 103rd General Assembly. | ||
Section 20. The Kosher Food Act is amended by adding | ||
Sections 0.05 and 1.5 and by changing Section 2 as follows: | ||
(410 ILCS 645/0.05 new) | ||
Sec. 0.05. Definition. In this Act, "kosher" means | ||
supervised, prepared under, and maintained in strict | ||
compliance with the laws and customs of the Jewish religion, | ||
including, but not limited to, the laws and customs of | ||
shechita requiring the slaughter of animals according to | ||
appropriate Jewish law, and in compliance with the strictest | ||
standards of Jewish law as expressed by reliable, recognized | ||
Jewish entities and Jewish rabbis. | ||
(410 ILCS 645/1.5 new) | ||
Sec. 1.5. State facility kosher food products. | ||
(a) In this Section, "State-owned or State-operated | ||
facility" means either of the following: | ||
(1) A hospital that is organized under the University | ||
of Illinois Hospital Act. | ||
(2) A penal institution, as that term is defined under | ||
Section 2-14 of the Criminal Code of 2012, that is owned or | ||
operated by the State. | ||
(b) Any kosher food product offered by a State-owned or | ||
State-operated facility shall be purchased from a | ||
kosher-certified vendor. Any person, organization, or vendor | ||
falsely representing a food product it provides as kosher or | ||
falsely representing itself as a kosher-certified vendor is | ||
subject to penalties under Section 2 of this Act. | ||
(c) The provisions of this Section shall not infringe upon | ||
or affect any obligation in a contract entered into and in | ||
effect on or before the effective date of this amendatory Act | ||
of the 103rd General Assembly. | ||
(410 ILCS 645/2) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 288.2) | ||
Sec. 2. Any person convicted of violating Section 1 or 1.5 | ||
of this Act, shall for the first offense, be guilty of a Class | ||
C misdemeanor and for the second and each subsequent offense | ||
shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. | ||
(Source: P.A. 77-2510.) | ||
Section 25. The Unified Code of Corrections is amended by | ||
adding Section 3-7-9 as follows: | ||
(730 ILCS 5/3-7-9 new) | ||
Sec. 3-7-9. Religious dietary food options. | ||
(a) In this Section, "religious dietary food options" | ||
means meals that meet specific foods and food preparation | ||
techniques that satisfy religious dietary requirements. | ||
(b) Any Department of Corrections facility that provides | ||
food services or cafeteria services for which food products | ||
are provided or offered for sale shall also offer, upon | ||
request provided with reasonable notice, religious dietary | ||
food options that comply with federal and State nutritional | ||
guidelines at the Department of Corrections facility. After an | ||
individual submits a request for a religious dietary food | ||
option, the Department of Corrections facility shall make | ||
accommodations for the request as soon as the Department of | ||
Corrections facility is able to provide the meals. | ||
(c) The provisions of this Section shall not infringe upon | ||
or affect any obligation in a contract entered into and in | ||
effect on or before the effective date of this amendatory Act | ||
of the 103rd General Assembly. | ||
(d) Nothing in this Section is intended to expand any | ||
Department of Corrections facility's obligations beyond that | ||
required under federal law. | ||
Section 97. Severability. The provisions of this Act are | ||
severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes. | ||
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect June 1, | ||
2024. | ||