HB1607 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 07687 BDA 17731 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB1607

Introduced 1/28/2025, by Rep. Sonya M. Harper

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Commission on Eliminating Food Deserts Act. Establishes the Commission on Eliminating Food Deserts in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor for the purpose of reviewing the effectiveness of current State-led efforts to eliminate food deserts in Illinois and advising the General Assembly on policy, funding, initiatives, and best practices for the elimination of food deserts in Illinois. Describes the membership of the Commission. Provides that the Commission shall convene at the call of the chairperson and meet as frequently as necessary to carry out its duties. Provides that the Office of the Lieutenant Governor shall provide administrative and other support to the Commission. Provides that commissioners shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose. Provides that the Commission shall submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2027, with annual addenda thereafter. Provides that the Act is repealed and the Commission is dissolved if 90% of food deserts in this State have been eliminated, with certain requirements. Defines terms.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Commission on Eliminating Food Deserts Act.

Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:

"Commission" means the Commission on Eliminating Food Deserts established under this Act.

"Commissioner" means a commissioner on the Commission, as listed in subsection (b) of Section 10 of this Act.

"Food desert" means a geographic area where people have limited access to affordable, healthy, and nutritious food. "Food desert" includes a food desert as defined by Economic Research Report Number 140 of the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, August 2012.

Section 10. Commission on Eliminating Food Deserts.

(a) The Commission on Eliminating Food Deserts is established in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor for the following purposes:

(1) to review the effectiveness of current State-led efforts to eliminate food deserts in Illinois; and

(2) to advise the General Assembly on policy, funding, initiatives, and best practices for the elimination of food deserts in Illinois.

(b) The Commission shall consist of the following commissioners:

(1) the Lieutenant Governor or the Lieutenant Governor's designee, who shall serve as chairperson;

(2) the Secretary of Human Services or the Secretary's designee;

(3) the Director of Public Health or the Director's designee;

(4) the Director of Agriculture or the Director's designee;

(5) the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity or the Director's designee;

(6) one commissioner who is a representative of the University of Illinois Extension, appointed by the Director of Extension and Outreach in the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois;

(7) one member of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate;

(8) one member of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(9) one member of the Senate, appointed by the Senate Minority Leader;

(10) one member of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;

(11) one commissioner who is a representative of a county government of a county in Illinois with a population greater than 1,000,000 people, appointed by the Governor;

(12) one commissioner who is a representative of a county government of a county in Illinois with a population fewer than 1,000,000 people but greater than 500,000 people, appointed by the Governor;

(13) one commissioner who is a representative of a county government of a county in Illinois with a population fewer than 500,000 people, appointed by the Governor;

(14) one commissioner who is involved in agriculture in Illinois, appointed by the Governor;

(15) one commissioner who is a representative of a food retailer in Illinois, appointed by the Governor;

(16) one commissioner who is a representative of retailers in Illinois, appointed by the Governor;

(17) eight commissioners who reside in food deserts in Illinois, appointed by the Governor; and

(18) four commissioners who are representatives of non-profit organizations in food deserts in Illinois, appointed by the Governor.

(c) The Commission shall convene and meet at the call of the chairperson and shall meet as frequently as necessary to carry out its duties as required by this Act.

(d) The Office of the Lieutenant Governor shall provide administrative and other support to the Commission.

(e) Commissioners shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose.

(f) The Commission shall submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2027. The substance of the report shall include the number or amount of food deserts in this State, shall address the purposes of the Commission in subsection (a) of this Section, and shall provide any other advice or recommendations of the Commission.

(g) After the submission of the report under subsection (f), the Commission shall submit an annual addendum to the Governor and the General Assembly with any updates to the substance of the report and noting the percentage of food deserts in this State that have been eliminated since the submission of the report.

(h) If the Commission submits an annual addendum under subsection (g) to the report under subsection (f) which notes that 90% of food deserts in this State have been eliminated, then the chairperson of the Commission shall:

(1) file with the Index Department of the Office of the Secretary of State a declaration that 90% of food deserts in this State have been eliminated and that the Commission shall be dissolved;

(2) notify the Clerk of the House of Representatives of the filing described in paragraph (1) on the day that it occurs;

(3) notify the Secretary of the Senate of the filing described in paragraph (1) on the day that it occurs; and

(4) notify the Executive Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau of the filing described in paragraph (1) on the day that it occurs.

Upon such filing and notification, this Act is repealed and the Commission is dissolved as provided in Section 15 of this Act.

Section 15. Repeal. This Act is repealed and the Commission on Eliminating Food Deserts is dissolved upon the occurrence of the conditions set forth is subsection (h) of Section 10 of this Act.