(410 ILCS 190/5)

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

Sec. 5. Findings and purpose. The General Assembly finds that:

(1) The term "One Health" reflects the interconnectedness of human health, animal health, and the environment.

(2) The strong connections and interdependency between humans, companion animals, livestock, wildlife, and ecosystem health are recognized in the One Health Framework, which facilitates addressing zoonotic diseases, vector-borne diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and other complex, multidisciplinary issues.

(3) Existing One Health initiatives at the federal level were included in both the 2021 Report of the Appropriations Committee of the United States House of Representatives and the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act. Congress directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to collaborate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of the Interior, and other federal agency partners:

(A) to create a National One Health framework to address zoonotic diseases and advance public health preparedness in the United States; and

(B) to collaborate with interagency partners on the development of a One Health coordination mechanism at the federal level to strengthen One Health collaboration related to the prevention of, detection of, control of, and response to zoonotic diseases and related One Health work across the federal government.

(4) Existing One Health initiatives in other states include the passage of Senate Bill 347 and Assembly Bill 1992 in New Jersey in June 2021 for the purpose of developing a New Jersey One Health Commission.

(5) Awareness and collaboration among disciplines will help protect the environment and the health of all species, will save lives in present and future generations, and will improve the quality of life, the physical and mental health, and the productivity of residents of the State.

(6) A One Health approach recognizes that the health of people is connected to the health of animals and the environment, and it has been described as a collaborative, multisector, and transdisciplinary approach, working at the local, regional, national, and global levels, with the goal of achieving optimal health outcomes while recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.

(7) A One Health approach is important because approximately 60% of known infectious diseases in humans and 75% of emerging infectious diseases originate from animals; environmental factors, including climate change, land-use changes, and biodiversity loss, significantly influence the emergence and transmission of zoonotic diseases. Animals can serve as early warning indicators of potential public health threats, and robust agricultural and environmental health systems are integral to public health preparedness and response efforts.

(8) It is, therefore, in the public interest for the State to establish a One Health Commission to promote the health and wellness of Illinois' natural resource, residents, and animals, including pets, livestock, and wildlife, by encouraging the collaborative efforts of experts and leveraging knowledge and resources effectively.

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