ASTHMA/ALLERGY AWARENESS MONTH

104th Regular Session Introduced by Adriane Johnson

Declares May 2026 Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month in Illinois to promote awareness, education, and community engagement about asthma and food allergies.

Resolution Adopted

Summary of Bill: SR701 (Session 104th, Illinois) – Asthma/Allergy Awareness Month

Purpose and Intent

Proclaims May 2026 as Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month in Illinois.

Encourages Illinoisans to observe the month with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

Aims to raise awareness about the impact of asthma and related food allergies, particularly on children and underserved communities.

Key Provisions and Changes

Official designation of May 2026 as Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month within the State of Illinois.

No new statutory obligations, funding, or programmatic mandates are included in the resolution. It serves as a symbolic acknowledgment and call to action for awareness and education.

Who/What Is Affected

All residents of Illinois, with emphasis on awareness among individuals with asthma and/or food allergies, their families, healthcare providers, schools, and community organizations.

Highlights that asthma and food allergies intersect and can disproportionately affect Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous populations, underscoring the importance of accessible care and information.

Substantive Content and Data Points (Context Provided in Resolution)

National and Illinois-specific burden of asthma:

Approximately 28 million people in the U.S. have asthma; about 4.75 million are children.
Over 1.1 million adults and children in Illinois have asthma.
Asthma-related emergency department visits number around 1,000,000 nationally per year.
Asthma is a leading cause of hospitalizations and school absences among children.
Economic costs of asthma were about $81.9 billion in the U.S. (2008–2013), with inflation-adjusted estimates around $115 billion today.
In 2023, asthma claimed over 3,100 lives nationally, including 127 in Illinois.

Food allergies and asthma connection:

About 21.8 million people in the U.S. have food allergies; roughly 3.9 million are children.
Children with food allergies are 2–4 times more likely to have asthma or other allergic diseases.
The prevalence of food allergies has risen over the past 20 years, with notable increases among Black children.

Emphasis on access to affordable health care and medications/devices for asthma and allergy management.

Procedural/Timeline Aspects

Status: Adopted by the Illinois Senate.

Action history indicates passage in May 2026, with the final adoption on May 6, 2026.

No timeline-driven requirements or fiscal implications are attached to the resolution itself; it functions as a commemorative/awareness measure.

Practical Impact

Acts as an official state endorsement to promote awareness, education, and community engagement around asthma and food allergy issues during May.

May encourage schools, health departments, and community groups to host events, distribute information, and participate in related activities.

Provides a formal framing that can support education campaigns and potentially inform future policy discussions, grants, or programming related to asthma/allergy management, though no funding or mandates are created by this resolution alone.

Sponsor

Co-sponsor: Adriane Johnson

If you’d like, I can add a brief outline of suggested activities or talking points that Illinois organizations might use during Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month to maximize the public health impact.