SB0167 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 05208 CPF 50224 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB0167

Introduced 1/31/2023, by Sen. Ram Villivalam

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/10-20.85 new
105 ILCS 5/34-18.82 new
410 ILCS 637/25 new
410 ILCS 645/1.5 new
410 ILCS 645/2	from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 288.2

Amends the School Code. Requires each school board to provide for a program by which both halal and kosher food options are offered in public school cafeterias by request. Provides further requirements concerning the provision of halal and kosher food in public schools. Amends the Halal Food Act. Defines "State-owned or State-operated facility". Provides that any State-owned or State-operated facility that provides food services or cafeteria services for which food products are provided or offered for sale also shall offer, upon request provided with reasonable notice, halal food options at the State-owned or State-operated facility. Provides that any halal food product offered shall be certified as halal by a State-approved organization or purchased from a State-approved halal-certified vendor. Provides that any person, organization, or vendor falsely representing a food product it provides as halal or falsely representing itself as a halal-certified vendor shall be subject to penalties under the Act. Provides for the adoption of rules. Provides that the amendatory provisions shall not infringe upon or affect any obligation in a contract entered into and in effect on or before the amendatory Act's effective date. Amends the Kosher Food Act. Makes substantially similar changes as to kosher food options at State facilities, defines "kosher", and provides that a violation of the provisions concerning State facility kosher food services is a Class C misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class A misdemeanor for the second and each subsequent offense. Effective June 1, 2024.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning health.

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

Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections 10-20.85 and 34-18.82 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/10-20.85 new)

Sec. 10-20.85. Halal and kosher food services.

(a) Each school board shall provide for a program by which both halal and kosher food options that comply with federal and State nutritional guidelines are offered in public school cafeterias by request. Any halal or kosher food product offered under this Section shall be certified as halal or kosher by a State-approved organization or purchased from a State-approved halal-certified or kosher-certified vendor. Any person, organization, or vendor falsely representing a food product it provides as halal or falsely representing itself as a halal-certified vendor shall be subject to penalty under the Halal Food Act. Any person, organization, or vendor falsely representing a food product it provides as kosher or falsely representing itself as a kosher-certified vendor shall be subject to penalty under the Kosher Food Act. As used in this Section, "halal" has the same meaning as provided under Section 5 of the Halal Food Act. As used in this Section, "kosher" means supervised, prepared under, and maintained in strict compliance with the laws and customs of the Jewish religion, including, but not limited to, (i) the laws and customs of shechita requiring the slaughter of animals according to appropriate Jewish law and (ii) as expressed by reliable, recognized Orthodox Jewish entities and Orthodox Jewish rabbis.

(b) The provisions of this Section shall not infringe upon or affect any obligation in a contract entered into and in effect on or before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly.

(105 ILCS 5/34-18.82 new)

Sec. 34-18.82. Halal and kosher food services.

(a) The board shall provide for a program by which both halal and kosher food options that comply with federal and State nutritional guidelines are offered in school cafeterias by request. Any halal or kosher food product offered under this Section shall be certified as halal or kosher by a State-approved organization or purchased from a State-approved halal-certified or kosher-certified vendor. Any person, organization, or vendor falsely representing a food product it provides as halal or falsely representing itself as a halal-certified vendor shall be subject to penalty under the Halal Food Act. Any person, organization, or vendor falsely representing a food product it provides as kosher or falsely representing itself as a kosher-certified vendor shall be subject to penalty under the Kosher Food Act. As used in this Section, "halal" has the same meaning as provided under Section 5 of the Halal Food Act. As used in this Section, "kosher" means supervised, prepared under, and maintained in strict compliance with the laws and customs of the Jewish religion, including, but not limited to, (i) the laws and customs of shechita requiring the slaughter of animals according to appropriate Jewish law and (ii) as expressed by reliable, recognized Orthodox Jewish entities and Orthodox Jewish rabbis.

(b) The provisions of this Section shall not infringe upon or affect any obligation in a contract entered into and in effect on or before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly.

Section 15. The Halal Food Act is amended by adding Section 25 as follows:

(410 ILCS 637/25 new)

Sec. 25. State facility halal food services.

(a) In this Section, "State-owned or State-operated facility" means either of the following:

(1) A hospital that is organized under the University of Illinois Hospital Act.

(2) A penal institution, as that term is defined under Section 2-14 of the Criminal Code of 2012, that is owned or operated by the State.

(b) Any State-owned or State-operated facility that provides food services or cafeteria services for which food products are provided or offered for sale also shall offer, upon request provided with reasonable notice, halal food options that comply with federal and State nutritional guidelines at the State-owned or State-operated facility.

(c) Any halal food product offered under this Section shall be certified as halal by a State-approved organization or purchased from a State-approved halal-certified vendor. Any person, organization, or vendor falsely representing a food product it provides as halal or falsely representing itself as a halal-certified vendor shall be subject to penalties under Section 10 or 15 of this Act.

(d) The Department of Central Management Services and all other relevant State agencies shall adopt all rules necessary for the implementation of this Section.

(e) The provisions of this Section shall not infringe upon or affect any obligation in a contract entered into and in effect on or before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly.

Section 20. The Kosher Food Act is amended by adding Section 1.5 and by changing Section 2 as follows:

(410 ILCS 645/1.5 new)

Sec. 1.5. State facility kosher food services.

(a) In this Section:

"Kosher" means supervised, prepared under, and maintained in strict compliance with the laws and customs of the Jewish religion, including, but not limited to, (i) the laws and customs of shechita requiring the slaughter of animals according to appropriate Jewish law and (ii) as expressed by reliable, recognized Orthodox Jewish entities and Orthodox Jewish rabbis.

"State-owned or State-operated facility" means either of the following:

(1) A hospital that is organized under the University of Illinois Hospital Act.

(2) A penal institution, as that term is defined under Section 2-14 of the Criminal Code of 2012, that is owned or operated by the State.

(b) Any State-owned or State-operated facility that provides food services or cafeteria services for which food products are provided or offered for sale also shall offer, upon request provided with reasonable notice, kosher food options that comply with federal and State nutritional guidelines at the State-owned or State-operated facility.

(c) Any kosher food product offered under this Section shall be certified as kosher by a State-approved organization or purchased from a State-approved kosher-certified vendor. Any person, organization, or vendor falsely representing a food product it provides as kosher or falsely representing itself as a kosher-certified vendor shall be subject to penalties under Section 2 of this Act.

(d) The Department of Central Management Services and all other relevant State agencies shall adopt all rules necessary for the implementation of this Section.

(e) The provisions of this Section shall not infringe upon or affect any obligation in a contract entered into and in effect on or before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly.

(410 ILCS 645/2) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 288.2)

Sec. 2. Any person convicted of violating Section 1 or 1.5 of this Act, shall for the first offense, be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor and for the second and each subsequent offense shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

(Source: P.A. 77-2510.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect June 1, 2024.