Bill Text: IL SB0457 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Amends the School Code. Provides that, subject to appropriation, including funding for any administrative costs reasonably incurred by the State Board of Education, upon the execution of one or more required statewide master contracts entered by the State Board of Education 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. Requires the State Board to enter into one or more statewide master contracts to purchase religious dietary food options, and sets forth provisions concerning the contracts. Amends the University of Illinois Hospital Act. Provides that the University of Illinois Hospital shall offer religious dietary food options that comply with federal and State nutritional guidelines. Amends the Halal Food Act. Provides that any halal food product offered by a State-owned or State-operated facility shall be purchased from a halal-certified vendor; defines "State-owned or State-operated facility". 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 is subject to penalties under the Act. Amends the Kosher Food Act. Defines "kosher". Makes substantially similar changes with regard to kosher food products at State facilities. Provides that a violation of the provisions concerning State facility kosher food products is a Class C misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class A misdemeanor for the second and each subsequent offense. Amends the Facilities Article of the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that 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 religious dietary food options that comply with federal and State nutritional guidelines. Specifies that nothing in the provisions concerning Department of Corrections facilities providing religious dietary food options is intended to expand any Department of Corrections facility's obligations beyond that required under federal law. Contains a severability clause. Effective June 1, 2024.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 50-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-05-31 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [SB0457 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SB0457-Engrossed.html

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SB0457 Engrossed LRB103 02908 RJT 47914 b
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

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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

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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:

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(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

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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

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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

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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

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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.