Illinois 2023-2024 Regular Session

Illinois House Bill HB2879 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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1		-	Public Act 103-0412
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3	2		HB2879 Enrolled LRB103 29913 KTG 56325 b
4		-	AN ACT concerning hunger relief.
5		-	Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
6		-	represented in the General Assembly:
7		-	Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
8		-	Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program Act.
9		-	Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
10		-	"Agricultural entity" means a grower, producer, or
11		-	processor of farm or dairy products, meat, poultry, fruits and
12		-	agricultural products that are grown, raised, harvested, or
13		-	processed in Illinois.
14		-	"Department" means the Department of Human Services.
15		-	"Food bank" means a public or charitable institution that
16		-	maintains an established operation involving the provision of
17		-	food or edible commodities to food pantries, soup kitchens,
18		-	hunger relief centers, or other feeding programs that, as an
19		-	integral part of their normal activities, provide meals or
20		-	food to needy persons.
21		-	"Program" means the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program.
22		-	"Program participant" means a food bank that receives food
23		-	under the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program to distribute to
24		-	food pantries, soup kitchens, hunger relief centers, or other
25		-	feeding programs that provide meals or food to needy persons.
26		-	"Secretary" means the Secretary of Human Services.
	3	+	1 AN ACT concerning hunger relief.
	4	+	2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
	5	+	3 represented in the General Assembly:
	6	+	4 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
	7	+	5 Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program Act.
	8	+	6 Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
	9	+	7 "Agricultural entity" means a grower, producer, or
	10	+	8 processor of farm or dairy products, meat, poultry, fruits and
	11	+	9 agricultural products that are grown, raised, harvested, or
	12	+	10 processed in Illinois.
	13	+	11 "Department" means the Department of Human Services.
	14	+	12 "Food bank" means a public or charitable institution that
	15	+	13 maintains an established operation involving the provision of
	16	+	14 food or edible commodities to food pantries, soup kitchens,
	17	+	15 hunger relief centers, or other feeding programs that, as an
	18	+	16 integral part of their normal activities, provide meals or
	19	+	17 food to needy persons.
	20	+	18 "Program" means the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program.
	21	+	19 "Program participant" means a food bank that receives food
	22	+	20 under the Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program to distribute to
	23	+	21 food pantries, soup kitchens, hunger relief centers, or other
	24	+	22 feeding programs that provide meals or food to needy persons.
	25	+	23 "Secretary" means the Secretary of Human Services.
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33		-	Section 10. Establishment of the Illinois Farm to Food
34		-	Bank Program.
35		-	(a) A program to help expand the availability of
36		-	nutritious, locally grown, raised, or processed foods for
37		-	Illinois' emergency food system, known as Illinois Farm to
38		-	Food Bank Program, is hereby established within the Department
39		-	of Human Services. The program shall:
40		-	(1) acquire and distribute agricultural products from
41		-	Illinois agricultural entities or aggregators to Illinois'
42		-	emergency food system, and
43		-	(2) provide grants to improve capacity of the
44		-	emergency food system to allow for the proper
45		-	transportation, storage, or distribution of agricultural
46		-	products to underserved areas.
47		-	(b) The program shall target fruits, vegetables, meat and
48		-	poultry, dairy, and eggs produced in Illinois. Foods shall be
49		-	surplus, seconds, or market-grade quality levels and must be
50		-	safe for consumption.
51		-	(c) The Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program is subject to
52		-	appropriation and shall dedicate no less than 75% of available
53		-	funds to acquisition and distribution of food.
54		-	Section 15. Administering entity.
55		-	(a) The Secretary shall engage a not-for-profit entity
56		-	from Illinois' emergency food system to administer the
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	34	+	1 Section 10. Establishment of the Illinois Farm to Food
	35	+	2 Bank Program.
	36	+	3 (a) A program to help expand the availability of
	37	+	4 nutritious, locally grown, raised, or processed foods for
	38	+	5 Illinois' emergency food system, known as Illinois Farm to
	39	+	6 Food Bank Program, is hereby established within the Department
	40	+	7 of Human Services. The program shall:
	41	+	8 (1) acquire and distribute agricultural products from
	42	+	9 Illinois agricultural entities or aggregators to Illinois'
	43	+	10 emergency food system, and
	44	+	11 (2) provide grants to improve capacity of the
	45	+	12 emergency food system to allow for the proper
	46	+	13 transportation, storage, or distribution of agricultural
	47	+	14 products to underserved areas.
	48	+	15 (b) The program shall target fruits, vegetables, meat and
	49	+	16 poultry, dairy, and eggs produced in Illinois. Foods shall be
	50	+	17 surplus, seconds, or market-grade quality levels and must be
	51	+	18 safe for consumption.
	52	+	19 (c) The Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program is subject to
	53	+	20 appropriation and shall dedicate no less than 75% of available
	54	+	21 funds to acquisition and distribution of food.
	55	+	22 Section 15. Administering entity.
	56	+	23 (a) The Secretary shall engage a not-for-profit entity
	57	+	24 from Illinois' emergency food system to administer the
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59		-	program. The administering entity shall have statewide reach
60		-	and represent multiple food banks that source and distribute
61		-	food to Illinois food pantries and soup kitchens under the
62		-	same authorities and standards as the Emergency Food
63		-	Assistance Program administered by the Department.
64		-	(b) The duties of the administering entity shall include,
65		-	but are not limited to:
66		-	(1) developing an annual plan outlining anticipated
67		-	needs, outreach efforts, potential challenges, and any
68		-	changes that may affect the program from the prior year;
69		-	(2) issuing an annual report that summarizes the
70		-	activity from the prior year, including meeting the
71		-	capacity-building and equity goals of the program;
72		-	(3) identifying program participants and their food
73		-	needs;
74		-	(4) building relationships with Illinois agricultural
75		-	entities that address those needs, including socially
76		-	disadvantaged farmers;
77		-	(5) coordinating the acquisition and distribution of
78		-	agricultural commodities to food banks; and
79		-	(6) distributing capacity-building grants.
80		-	Section 20. Advisory Council.
81		-	(a) The Farm to Food Bank Advisory Council is created,
82		-	consisting of the following members:
83		-	(1) The Secretary of Human Services or the Secretary's
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86		-	designee, who shall serve as chair.
87		-	(2) The Director of Agriculture or the Director's
88		-	designee.
89		-	(3) Three representatives from food banks, including
90		-	at least 2 representatives from food banks that
91		-	participate in the Emergency Food Assistance Program
92		-	administered by the Department of Human Services, selected
93		-	by the Department.
94		-	(4) Three representatives from the agricultural
95		-	industry, selected by the Department.
96		-	(5) A representative from an academic institution with
97		-	expertise in agricultural systems, selected by the
98		-	Department.
99		-	(b) The Advisory Council shall provide support to the
100		-	program through the following activities:
101		-	(1) facilitating relationship-building and
102		-	partnerships between the Illinois agricultural sector and
103		-	the emergency food system;
104		-	(2) approving of a proposed annual budget by the
105		-	administering entity;
106		-	(3) reviewing and providing feedback on the
107		-	administering entity's annual plans and annual reports;
108		-	(4) promoting the program; and
109		-	(5) providing feedback or recommendations as needed to
110		-	the administering entity.
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113		-	Section 25. Participation requirements.
114		-	(a) The Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program may distribute
115		-	food to food banks with the infrastructure to accept, store,
116		-	and distribute foods through the emergency food system in
117		-	compliance with federal, State, or local health and food
118		-	safety requirements and with the capacity to serve significant
119		-	geographic areas within Illinois. Foods may be sourced
120		-	directly from an agricultural entity or via Illinois-based
121		-	aggregators as long as the foods meet program requirements.
122		-	(b) Program participants shall match Farm to Food Bank
123		-	resources with non-state funds. The match can be met through
124		-	cash or in-kind contributions.
125		-	(c) All food distributed under the program must be
126		-	distributed in Illinois, regardless of the service area of the
127		-	program participant.
128		-	Section 30. Capacity-building grants. The Illinois Farm
129		-	to Food Bank Program shall distribute capacity-building grants
130		-	for facility upgrades, equipment, or other investments
131		-	necessary to support the objectives of the program and allow
132		-	for the proper pickup, storage, or processing of agricultural
133		-	products that expand the ability of Illinois' emergency food
134		-	system to access these products and better reach underserved
135		-	areas and underserved populations.
136		-	Section 35. Rulemaking. The Department shall adopt rules
	66	+	HB2879 Enrolled- 3 -LRB103 29913 KTG 56325 b HB2879 Enrolled - 3 - LRB103 29913 KTG 56325 b
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	68	+	1 program. The administering entity shall have statewide reach
	69	+	2 and represent multiple food banks that source and distribute
	70	+	3 food to Illinois food pantries and soup kitchens under the
	71	+	4 same authorities and standards as the Emergency Food
	72	+	5 Assistance Program administered by the Department.
	73	+	6 (b) The duties of the administering entity shall include,
	74	+	7 but are not limited to:
	75	+	8 (1) developing an annual plan outlining anticipated
	76	+	9 needs, outreach efforts, potential challenges, and any
	77	+	10 changes that may affect the program from the prior year;
	78	+	11 (2) issuing an annual report that summarizes the
	79	+	12 activity from the prior year, including meeting the
	80	+	13 capacity-building and equity goals of the program;
	81	+	14 (3) identifying program participants and their food
	82	+	15 needs;
	83	+	16 (4) building relationships with Illinois agricultural
	84	+	17 entities that address those needs, including socially
	85	+	18 disadvantaged farmers;
	86	+	19 (5) coordinating the acquisition and distribution of
	87	+	20 agricultural commodities to food banks; and
	88	+	21 (6) distributing capacity-building grants.
	89	+	22 Section 20. Advisory Council.
	90	+	23 (a) The Farm to Food Bank Advisory Council is created,
	91	+	24 consisting of the following members:
	92	+	25 (1) The Secretary of Human Services or the Secretary's
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139		-	to implement the program. These rules shall include, but are
140		-	not limited to:
141		-	(1) eligible costs related to acquisition and
142		-	distribution of food, including, but not limited to,
143		-	picking, packing, processing, and transportation;
144		-	(2) health and safety requirements for program
145		-	participants, farmers, and transportation;
146		-	(3) food quality standards;
147		-	(4) program requirements for the capacity-building
148		-	grant program, including eligibility, allowable expenses,
149		-	and reporting;
150		-	(5) contracting requirements and purchasing options;
151		-	(6) goals, preferences, and incentives to advance
152		-	equity, especially racial equity, in the farm industry;
153		-	(7) data collection, evaluation, and annual plan and
154		-	reporting requirements; and
155		-	(8) any other rules necessary to implement the
156		-	program.
157		-	Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
158		-	becoming law.
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	103	+	1 designee, who shall serve as chair.
	104	+	2 (2) The Director of Agriculture or the Director's
	105	+	3 designee.
	106	+	4 (3) Three representatives from food banks, including
	107	+	5 at least 2 representatives from food banks that
	108	+	6 participate in the Emergency Food Assistance Program
	109	+	7 administered by the Department of Human Services, selected
	110	+	8 by the Department.
	111	+	9 (4) Three representatives from the agricultural
	112	+	10 industry, selected by the Department.
	113	+	11 (5) A representative from an academic institution with
	114	+	12 expertise in agricultural systems, selected by the
	115	+	13 Department.
	116	+	14 (b) The Advisory Council shall provide support to the
	117	+	15 program through the following activities:
	118	+	16 (1) facilitating relationship-building and
	119	+	17 partnerships between the Illinois agricultural sector and
	120	+	18 the emergency food system;
	121	+	19 (2) approving of a proposed annual budget by the
	122	+	20 administering entity;
	123	+	21 (3) reviewing and providing feedback on the
	124	+	22 administering entity's annual plans and annual reports;
	125	+	23 (4) promoting the program; and
	126	+	24 (5) providing feedback or recommendations as needed to
	127	+	25 the administering entity.
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	138	+	1 Section 25. Participation requirements.
	139	+	2 (a) The Illinois Farm to Food Bank Program may distribute
	140	+	3 food to food banks with the infrastructure to accept, store,
	141	+	4 and distribute foods through the emergency food system in
	142	+	5 compliance with federal, State, or local health and food
	143	+	6 safety requirements and with the capacity to serve significant
	144	+	7 geographic areas within Illinois. Foods may be sourced
	145	+	8 directly from an agricultural entity or via Illinois-based
	146	+	9 aggregators as long as the foods meet program requirements.
	147	+	10 (b) Program participants shall match Farm to Food Bank
	148	+	11 resources with non-state funds. The match can be met through
	149	+	12 cash or in-kind contributions.
	150	+	13 (c) All food distributed under the program must be
	151	+	14 distributed in Illinois, regardless of the service area of the
	152	+	15 program participant.
	153	+	16 Section 30. Capacity-building grants. The Illinois Farm
	154	+	17 to Food Bank Program shall distribute capacity-building grants
	155	+	18 for facility upgrades, equipment, or other investments
	156	+	19 necessary to support the objectives of the program and allow
	157	+	20 for the proper pickup, storage, or processing of agricultural
	158	+	21 products that expand the ability of Illinois' emergency food
	159	+	22 system to access these products and better reach underserved
	160	+	23 areas and underserved populations.
	161	+	24 Section 35. Rulemaking. The Department shall adopt rules
	162	+
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	166	+
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	172	+	1 to implement the program. These rules shall include, but are
	173	+	2 not limited to:
	174	+	3 (1) eligible costs related to acquisition and
	175	+	4 distribution of food, including, but not limited to,
	176	+	5 picking, packing, processing, and transportation;
	177	+	6 (2) health and safety requirements for program
	178	+	7 participants, farmers, and transportation;
	179	+	8 (3) food quality standards;
	180	+	9 (4) program requirements for the capacity-building
	181	+	10 grant program, including eligibility, allowable expenses,
	182	+	11 and reporting;
	183	+	12 (5) contracting requirements and purchasing options;
	184	+	13 (6) goals, preferences, and incentives to advance
	185	+	14 equity, especially racial equity, in the farm industry;
	186	+	15 (7) data collection, evaluation, and annual plan and
	187	+	16 reporting requirements; and
	188	+	17 (8) any other rules necessary to implement the
	189	+	18 program.
	190	+	19 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
	191	+	20 becoming law.
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