95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
SB0419


 
Introduced 2/7/2007, by Sen. J. Bradley Burzynski
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 		













New Act










    Creates the Genetically Engineered Food Right To Know Act. Provides that all foods containing genetically engineered material or produced with genetically engineered material must be clearly marked with a label placed in a conspicuous place that indicates that the food contains genetically engineered material or was produced with a genetically engineered material.  Provides the specific language to be included on the label.  Provides that the Department of Public Health may create rules necessary for the implementation of the Act.
















LRB095 10709 KBJ 30943 b

















FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
















 


 


A BILL FOR









 











SB0419

LRB095 10709 KBJ 30943 b






1
    AN ACT concerning public health.

 
2
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
3
represented in the General Assembly:


 
4
    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 
5
Genetically Engineered Food Right To Know Act.
 
6
    Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds all of the 
7
following:
8
        (1) Consumers wish to know whether the food they 
9
    purchase and consume contains or is produced with a 
10
    genetically engineered material for a variety of reasons, 
11
    including the potential transfer of allergens into food and 
12
    other health risks, concerns about potential environmental 
13
    risks associated with the genetic engineering of crops, and 
14
    religiously and ethically based dietary restrictions.
15
        (2) Consumers have a right to know whether the food 
16
    they purchase contains or was produced with genetically 
17
    engineered material.
18
        (3) Labels voluntarily placed on foods are 
19
    insufficient to provide consumers with adequate 
20
    information concerning whether or not all of the food they 
21
    purchase contains or was produced with genetically 
22
    engineered material.
23
        (4) Mandatory labeling provides a critical scientific 
 


 






SB0419
- 2 -
LRB095 10709 KBJ 30943 b




1
    method necessary for the continual post market 
2
    surveillance to study long-term health impacts and 
3
    enforcement of food safety laws preventing adulterated 
4
    foods from reaching consumers.
 
5
    Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:
6
    "Food" includes an animal grown to become food for human 
7
consumption, a food product, a food ingredient, a dietary 
8
supplement, or a beverage.  "Food" does not include a raw 
9
agricultural commodity.
10
    "Genetically engineered material" means material derived 
11
from any part of a genetically engineered organism, without 
12
regard to whether the altered molecular or cellular 
13
characteristics of the organism are detectable in the material.  
14
    "Genetically engineered organism" means: 
15
        (1) an organism that has been altered at the molecular 
16
    or cellular level by means that are not possible under 
17
    natural conditions or processes, including, but not 
18
    limited to, recombinant DNA and RNA techniques, cell 
19
    fusion, microencapsulation, macroencapsulation, gene 
20
    deletion and doubling, introducing a foreign gene, and 
21
    changing the positions of genes, other than a means 
22
    consisting exclusively of breeding, conjugation, 
23
    fermentation, hybridization, in vitro fertilization, 
24
    tissue culture, or mutagenesis; and
25
        (2) an organism made through sexual or asexual 
 


 






SB0419
- 3 -
LRB095 10709 KBJ 30943 b




1
    reproduction or both involving an organism described in 
2
    paragraph (1) of this Section if it possesses any of the 
3
    altered molecular or cellular characteristics of the 
4
    organism.
5
    "Label" means a display of written, printed, or graphic 
6
matter upon an article or the immediate container, not 
7
including a package liner, of an article.
 
8
    Section 15. Label required. 
9
    (a) All foods containing genetically engineered material 
10
or produced with genetically engineered material must be 
11
clearly marked with a label placed in a conspicuous place that 
12
indicates that the food contains genetically engineered 
13
material or was produced with a genetically engineered 
14
material. The label must contain the following language:
15
    "This product contains a genetically engineered material 
16
    or was produced with a genetically engineered material.".
17
    (b) For purposes of this Section, a food is considered to 
18
have been produced with a genetically engineered material if:
19
         (1) the organism from which the food is derived has 
20
    been injected or otherwise treated with a genetically 
21
    engineered material, except that the use of manure as 
22
    fertilizer for raw agricultural commodities may not be 
23
    construed to mean that such commodities are produced with a 
24
    genetically engineered material;
25
        (2) the animal from which the food is derived has been 
 


 






SB0419
- 4 -
LRB095 10709 KBJ 30943 b




1
    fed genetically engineered material; or 
2
        (3) the food contains an ingredient that has been 
3
    subjected to treatment described in paragraph (1) or (2) of 
4
    subsection (b) of this Section. 
 
5
    Section 20. Rules. The Department of Public Health may 
6
create rules necessary for the implementation of this Act.