103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB3849

 

Introduced 2/17/2023, by Rep. Cyril Nichols

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
410 ILCS 620/11.5 new

    Amends the Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Provides that the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Public Health, shall, on or before July 1, 2024, publish information to encourage food manufacturers, processors, and retailers responsible for the labeling of food products to voluntarily use the specified uniform terms on food product labels to communicate quality dates and safety dates. Provides that the Department of Agriculture shall promote the consistent use of the terms specified pursuant to these provisions in the course of its existing interactions with food manufacturers, processors, and retailers. Provides that in the process of implementing these provisions, the Department shall encourage food distributors and retailers to develop alternatives to consumer-facing "sell by" dates. Provides that the Department may accept nonstate funds from public and private sources to educate consumers about the meaning of the quality dates and safety dates specified in these provisions. Provides that funds accepted by the Department shall be deposited into the Food and Drug Safety Fund.


LRB103 27119 CPF 53487 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB3849LRB103 27119 CPF 53487 b

1    AN ACT concerning health.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act is
5amended by adding Section 11.5 as follows:
 
6    (410 ILCS 620/11.5 new)
7    Sec. 11.5. Standardization of food labeling.
8    (a) As used in this Section:
9    "Quality date" means a date on a label affixed to the
10packaging or a contain of food that communicates to consumers
11the date after which the food quality may begin to
12deteriorate, but the food may still be acceptable for
13consumption.
14    "Safety date" means a date on a label affixed to the
15packaging or container of food that communicates to consumers
16that the food should be consumed or frozen, if appropriate, by
17the date listed on the package that applies to perishable
18products with potential safety implications over time.
19    "Sell by date" means a date on a label affixed to the
20packaging or container of food that is intended to communicate
21primarily to a distributor or retailer for purposes of stock
22rotation and is not a quality date or a safety date.
23    (b) The Department of Agriculture, in consultation with

 

 

HB3849- 2 -LRB103 27119 CPF 53487 b

1the Department of Public Health, shall, on or before July 1,
22024, publish information to encourage food manufacturers,
3processors, and retailers responsible for the labeling of food
4products to voluntarily use the following uniform terms on
5food product labels to communicate quality dates and safety
6dates:
7        (1) "BEST if Used by" or "BEST if Used or Frozen by" to
8    indicate the quality date of a product; and
9        (2) "USE by" or "USE by or Freeze by" to indicate the
10    safety date of a product.
11    (c) The Department of Agriculture shall promote the
12consistent use of the terms specified pursuant to subsection
13(b) in the course of its existing interactions with food
14manufacturers, processors, and retailers.
15    (d) In the process of implementing subsection (b), the
16Department shall encourage food distributors and retailers to
17develop alternatives to consumer-facing "sell by" dates.
18    (e) The Department may accept nonstate funds from public
19and private sources to educate consumers about the meaning of
20the quality dates and safety dates specified in this Section.
21Funds accepted by the Department pursuant to this subsection
22shall be deposited in the Food and Drug Safety Fund. All funds
23in the Food and Drug Safety Fund used pursuant to this Section
24are hereby continuously appropriated and shall not be
25encumbered to the Department without regard to fiscal years to
26carry out the purpose provided in this subsection.