Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB1607

Sen. Mattie Hunter

Filed: 5/2/2025

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AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 1607

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 1607 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

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

Section 5. Definitions. In 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.

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

"Task Force member" means a task force member on the Task Force, as listed in subsection (b) of Section 10 of this Act.

Section 10. Task Force on Eliminating Food Deserts.

(a) The Task Force on Eliminating Food Deserts is established in the Department of Public Health 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 Task Force shall consist of the following members:

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

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

(3) the Director of Aging 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, who shall serve as an ex officio, nonvoting, advisory member;

(6) one task force member 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 task force member who is a representative of a county government of a county in Illinois with a population equal to or greater than 1,000,000 people, appointed by the Governor;

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

(13) one task force member 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 task force member who is involved in agriculture in Illinois, appointed by the Governor;

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

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

(17) eight task force members who reside in food deserts in Illinois, appointed by the Governor;

(18) four task force members who are representatives of non-profit organizations in food deserts in Illinois, appointed by the Governor; and

(19) one task force member who is a representative of labor organizations, appointed by the Governor.

(c) The Task Force 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 Department of Public Health shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force.

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

(f) The Task Force shall submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2028. The substance of the report shall include the number or amount of food deserts in this State, shall address the purposes of the Task Force in subsection (a) of this Section, and shall provide any other advice or recommendations of the Task Force. After submitting the report, the chairperson of the Task Force shall:

(1) file with the Index Department of the Office of the Secretary of State a declaration that the Task Force on Eliminating Food Deserts 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 Task Force is dissolved as provided in Section 15 of this Act.

Section 15. Repeal. This Act is repealed and the Task Force on Eliminating Food Deserts is dissolved upon the occurrence of the conditions set forth in subsection (f) of Section 10 of this Act.".