(410 ILCS 190/15)

(This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)

Sec. 15. One Health Commission.

(a) The One Health Commission is established in the Department of Public Health. The purpose of this Commission shall be to develop a strategic plan to promote interdisciplinary communication and collaboration between physicians, veterinarians, and other scientific professionals and State agencies, with the goal of promoting the health and well-being of the State's residents, animals, and environment.

(b) The goals and responsibilities of the Commission shall include:

(1) recommending the best practices to promote interdisciplinary communication and collaboration between human, animal, and environmental health professionals;

(2) establishing mechanisms to provide feedback on, and to support State agency and local government responses to, and recovery from, zoonotic disease outbreaks in animals and humans;

(3) coordinating and collaborating with appropriate entities to develop effective approaches to reduce hazards to human, animal, and environmental health and ensuring innovative, science-based solutions are integrated into public health strategies;

(4) developing educational and outreach initiatives to promote the One Health approach across State government agencies, the State's academic and research institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and private entities;

(5) collaborating with disciplines for development of effective xenosurveillance and other means of surveilling emerging One Health-related threats; and

(6) promoting and providing education concerning judicious antibiotic use by physicians, veterinarians, and agricultural health professionals, including recommendations on use of antibiotic alternatives, such as bacteriophage therapy.

(c) The Commission shall partner with academic institutions and nongovernmental organizations in the State and consult with associations, organizations, and individuals who are knowledgeable about the One Health initiative.

(d) The Commission shall be composed of the following members:

(1) the Director of Public Health or the Director's designee, who shall serve as co-chairperson;

(2) the President of the University of Illinois, or the President's designee, who shall serve as co-chairperson;

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

(4) the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency or the Director's designee;

(5) the Director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security or the Director's designee;

(6) the Chairman of the Illinois Housing Development Authority or the Chairman's designee;

(7) the Director of Natural Resources or the Director's designee;

(8) the Secretary of Transportation or the Secretary's designee;

(9) the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity or the Director's designee, who shall serve as an ex officio, nonvoting, advisory member;

(10) 4 members who are experts regarding One Health from the academic or teaching community in this State, appointed by the Director of Public Health;

(11) 2 members who are experts regarding One Health and who are physicians licensed to practice medicine in all its branches in this State, including at least one with expertise in epidemiology or infectious disease surveillance, appointed by the Director of Public Health;

(12) 2 members who are experts regarding One Health and who are veterinarians licensed in this State, entomologists, or licensed environmental health practitioners, appointed by the Director of Public Health; and

(13) one member who represents a safety net medical facility in the State of Illinois who has expertise in One Health, appointed by the Director of Public Health.

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

(e-5) Members shall be appointed for 4-year terms.

(f) The Department of Public Health and the University of Illinois shall provide administrative and other support to the Commission.

(g) The members of the Commission shall serve without compensation.

(h) The Commission shall submit a final report to the General Assembly and the Governor on or before January 1, 2028. This report shall:

(1) outline the development of the One Health Framework described in this Act;

(2) provide details regarding the goals and responsibilities of the Commission in this Act;

(3) provide an assessment of One Health surveillance and response systems; and

(4) provide recommendations for future policy enhancements any other recommendations for legislative or regulatory action to improve, promote, and protect the health and well-being of the State's residents, animals, and environment.

The Commission shall provide an update to this report every 2 years.

(i) The final report under subsection (h) shall be posted on the public websites of the all the State agencies listed in subsection (d) that participate in the Commission.

(Source: P.A. 104-80, eff. 1-1-26.)