Full Text of SJR0047 99th General Assembly
SJ0047 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, A diverse body of scholarship reports that an | 3 | | estimated 15 million Americans have food allergies; and
| 4 | | WHEREAS, According to a study released in 2013 by the | 5 | | Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, food allergies | 6 | | among children have increased approximately 50% between 1997 | 7 | | and 2011; and
| 8 | | WHEREAS, The National Restaurant Association estimates | 9 | | that the restaurant industry receives
47% of the American | 10 | | consumer's food dollar; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Given the prevalence to consume food prepared in | 12 | | restaurants either on the premises
or for consumption at home, | 13 | | the intersection of food allergies and the regulation of dining
| 14 | | establishments becomes a new area where the dangers of food | 15 | | allergies can be addressed; and | 16 | | WHEREAS, Several states have taken affirmative efforts to | 17 | | mitigate the potentially devastating
effects of allergic | 18 | | reactions to food by utilizing their regulatory power to ensure | 19 | | that restaurants
take proactive steps to prevent food | 20 | | allergies; and |
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, In January 2009, Massachusetts Governor Deval | 2 | | Patrick signed into law the
Massachusetts Food Allergy | 3 | | Awareness Act; and | 4 | | WHEREAS, The purpose of this legislation is to minimize | 5 | | risk of illness and death due to
accidental ingestion of food | 6 | | allergens by increasing restaurant industry and consumer | 7 | | awareness
of regulations and best practices with respect to | 8 | | major food allergens; and | 9 | | WHEREAS, The Massachusetts Food Allergy Awareness Act | 10 | | takes several comprehensive steps
to ensure that the purpose of | 11 | | this legislation is fulfilled, such as by requiring posters to | 12 | | be developed in collaboration with the Massachusetts | 13 | | Restaurant Association and the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis | 14 | | Network, requiring these posters to be exhibited in prominent | 15 | | areas in all food establishments that cook, prepare, or serve | 16 | | food intended for immediate consumption either on or
off the | 17 | | premises, requiring food establishments to include a notice on | 18 | | all menus of the customer's
obligation to inform the server | 19 | | about any food allergies, and requiring a member of the food
| 20 | | establishment's staff to watch an informational video | 21 | | concerning food allegories; and | 22 | | WHEREAS, The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is | 23 | | also required to develop a
program for restaurants to be |
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| 1 | | designated as "Food Allergy Friendly" and maintain a listing of
| 2 | | these restaurants on its Internet website; and | 3 | | WHEREAS, The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has | 4 | | also promulgated regulations
enforcing the Massachusetts Food | 5 | | Allergy Awareness Act, as well as developed helpful
resources | 6 | | for businesses to answer their questions and assist in their | 7 | | compliance with this
legislation; and
| 8 | | WHEREAS, Other states, such as Michigan, Rhode Island, and | 9 | | Virginia, have also passed
legislation involving the | 10 | | prevention of allergic reactions related to food served in | 11 | | restaurants; and
| 12 | | WHEREAS, While some legislation has been introduced in | 13 | | Illinois regarding food allergies,
there are still no laws in | 14 | | Illinois that minimize risk of illness and death due to | 15 | | accidental
ingestion of food allergens by increasing | 16 | | restaurant industry and consumer awareness of
regulations; | 17 | | therefore, be it
| 18 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL | 19 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES | 20 | | CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the General Assembly to adopt | 21 | | legislation containing provisions that carry out the purpose | 22 | | and effect of the Massachusetts Food Allergy Awareness Act to |
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| 1 | | ensure consumer awareness regarding food allergies and also to | 2 | | assist restaurants and other entities serving food in Illinois | 3 | | in preventing tragedies that can come with severe allergic | 4 | | reactions to food; and be it further
| 5 | | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be sent | 6 | | to the Governor and the Director of Public Health and made | 7 | | available to the members of the General Assembly upon
request.
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