Public Act 1076 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0457 Enrolled LRB103 02908 RJT 47914 b

Public Act 103-1076

AN ACT concerning education.

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 Section 2-3.204 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.204 new)

Sec. 2-3.204. Statewide master contract for prepackaged meals.

(a) Throughout the State, students depend on schools to provide nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free school lunches each day. The General Assembly intends for school districts to provide lunch options that satisfy religious dietary requirements to the extent practicable.

(b) In this Section, "religious dietary food option" means meals that meet specific foods and food preparation techniques that satisfy religious dietary requirements.

(c) This Section is subject to appropriation, including funding for any administrative costs reasonably incurred by the State Board of Education in the administration of this Section.

(d) Upon the execution of one or more statewide master contracts entered into under subsection (g) and annually thereafter, the State Board of Education shall notify school districts of any prepackaged meal options, including, but not limited to, halal and kosher food options, available for purchase under a statewide master contract for the upcoming school year. A school district shall adopt procedures regarding ordering, preparing, and serving prepackaged meal options offered under a statewide master contract.

A school district may not be charged more than the federal free rate of reimbursement for any meal offered under a statewide master contract. Any meal offered under a statewide master contract shall be eligible for and cost no more than the federal free rate of reimbursement.

(e) All meal options available under a statewide master contract under subsection (g) must meet the federal nutritional standards set under the federal Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. Any meal offered under a statewide master contract under subsection (g) may not require a school district to purchase any special or additional kitchen preparation equipment or storage equipment and may not require either any specialized staff, other than those staff members who are currently available in a school, or any special certifications.

(f) Any vendor offering halal food products to a school district under a statewide master contract under subsection (g) shall certify that the food or food product is halal and that the vendor is in compliance with the Halal Food Act. Any vendor offering kosher food products to a school district under a statewide master contract under subsection (g) shall certify that the food or food product is kosher and that the vendor is in compliance with the Kosher Food Act. A school district and the State Board of Education may rely upon these certifications.

(g) The State Board of Education shall enter into one or more statewide master contracts with a vendor or vendors for prepackaged meals that meet the requirements of this Section for the purpose of providing options to school districts statewide to purchase religious dietary food options under this Section. The State Board of Education may enter into as many contracts as needed in order to provide access for school districts statewide.

Each statewide master contract must include packaged meal delivery directly to any requesting school in this State at a uniform delivery cost, regardless of the school's location.

The State Board of Education shall notify all school districts of the award of a statewide master contract as required in subsection (c) of Section 10-20.21 of this Code. No later than 60 days after receiving notice, a school district may purchase prepackaged meals from the contracted vendor.

Section 10. The University of Illinois Hospital Act is amended by adding Section 8j as follows:

(110 ILCS 330/8j new)

Sec. 8j. Religious dietary food options.

(a) In this Section, "religious dietary food options" means meals that meet specific foods and food preparation techniques that satisfy religious dietary requirements.

(b) The University of Illinois Hospital shall offer, upon request provided with reasonable notice, at the University of Illinois Hospital, religious dietary food options that comply with federal and State nutritional guidelines. After an individual submits a request for a religious dietary food option, the University of Illinois Hospital shall make accommodations for the request as soon as the University of Illinois Hospital is able to provide the meals.

(c) 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 products.

(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 halal food product offered by a State-owned or State-operated facility shall be purchased from a 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 is subject to penalties under this Act.

(c) 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 Sections 0.05 and 1.5 and by changing Section 2 as follows:

(410 ILCS 645/0.05 new)

Sec. 0.05. Definition. In this Act, "kosher" means supervised, prepared under, and maintained in strict compliance with the laws and customs of the Jewish religion, including, but not limited to, the laws and customs of shechita requiring the slaughter of animals according to appropriate Jewish law, and in compliance with the strictest standards of Jewish law as expressed by reliable, recognized Jewish entities and Jewish rabbis.

(410 ILCS 645/1.5 new)

Sec. 1.5. State facility kosher food products.

(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 kosher food product offered by a State-owned or State-operated facility shall be purchased from a 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 is subject to penalties under Section 2 of this Act.

(c) 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 25. The Unified Code of Corrections is amended by adding Section 3-7-9 as follows:

(730 ILCS 5/3-7-9 new)

Sec. 3-7-9. Religious dietary food options.

(a) In this Section, "religious dietary food options" means meals that meet specific foods and food preparation techniques that satisfy religious dietary requirements.

(b) Any Department of Corrections facility that provides food services or cafeteria services for which food products are provided or offered for sale shall also offer, upon request provided with reasonable notice, religious dietary food options that comply with federal and State nutritional guidelines at the Department of Corrections facility. After an individual submits a request for a religious dietary food option, the Department of Corrections facility shall make accommodations for the request as soon as the Department of Corrections facility is able to provide the meals.

(c) 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.

(d) Nothing in this Section is intended to expand any Department of Corrections facility's obligations beyond that required under federal law.

Section 97. Severability. The provisions of this Act are severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.

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

Effective Date: 3/21/2025