Bill
HB 5507
Illinois will phase out restricted and ultraprocessed foods in schools, set health-based standards, require vendor reporting, and provide training to create healthier school nutrit
Title: Food Reform to Ensure Student Health Act
Purpose
- To facilitate and support the creation of health-promoting eating environments in Illinois schools. The act aims to reduce ultraprocessed and restricted school foods and to improve overall student health through rules, reporting, training, and phased implementation.
Key Provisions and Changes
1) Definitions and Scope
- Establishes terms to govern school food policy:
- Category of food: enumerates major food groups (fruits, vegetables, grains, cereals, beans, nuts, beverages, dairy, seafood, poultry, meat, eggs, condiments, fats/oils, herbs/spices) and allows expansion by rule.
- Food vs. Food Product: Food = items served to pupils on campus during the school day; Food Product = finished item with a UPC, excluding certain federally reimbursed meals or USDA Foods in Schools items.
- Health-promoting eating environment: availability of healthy, high-quality, culturally appropriate, affordable options.
- High amounts of saturated fat, sodium, or added sugar: quantified using 10%+ of energy from saturated fat, sodium-to-calorie ratio ≥ 1:1, or 10%+ of energy from added sugars.
- Ultraprocessed food; Ultraprocessed food of concern: defined similarly to restricted school foods, with a focus on additives and processing level.
- Nonnutritive sweeteners: lists specific nonnutritive sweeteners and several sugar alcohols/additives.
- Restricted school food: a product containing certain FDA-listed additives with specified functional effects (e.g., emulsifiers, colorants, flavor enhancers, nonnutritive sweeteners) and restricted from school sale/service per State Board rules.
- Ultraprocessed food of concern: ultraprocessed items that the State Board determines are of concern.
- FDA nutrient-labeling framework alignment and consistency with federal meals programs.
2) Rules and Definitions
- Section 15 requires the State Board of Education (in consultation with public health and agriculture departments) to adopt rules by June 1, 2028 defining:
- Ultraprocessed food of concern
- Restricted school food
- Rulemaking must consider: health harms evidence, labeling, hyperpalatability/food addiction potential, total nutritional profile, and alignment with federal guidelines (including 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines and FDA’s Healthy definition).
- Updates to definitions occur every 5 years, with a 3-year delay if a new definition adds products (to allow compliance).
3) Scientific Advisory
- Establishes a joint Scientific and Technical Advisory Task Force to review evidence and inform rulemaking.
- Task Force members are experts in nutrition, public health, food science, pediatric health; charter includes advisory, nonvoting industry representation; no rulemaking authority.
4) Phased Implementation and Enforcement
- Phase-out timeline:
- By July 1, 2029: begin phasing out restricted foods and ultraprocessed foods of concern in schools.
- By July 1, 2032: vendors/food service contractors may not offer restricted foods or ultraprocessed foods of concern to schools.
- No private right of action for noncompliance.
- Reimbursable meals implementation remains consistent with federal requirements.
5) Vendor Reporting and Data
- Annual reporting by vendors (Feb 1, 2028, and each year through 2032) on:
- Total quantity sold to schools
- Product name, whether ultraprocessed, whether restricted or of concern
- Category, average calories, ingredient list, Nutrition Facts
- Exemptions: cottage food operations, home kitchen operations, small businesses.
- Trade secrets/proprietary formulations not required to be disclosed, but ingredient lists and nutrition data must be provided.
- Section 25 reporting is repealed after July 1, 2033 (operative through 2033; sunset effect).
6) Annual Report to Legislature
- By July 1, 2028 and annually through July 1, 2032, an annual report synthesizing Section 25 data, progress on phaseout, estimates of non-ultraprocessed food intake, ultraprocessed share of calories, reduction strategies, feasibility analyses, and policy recommendations.
- Report must be publicly available on the State Board’s website.
- Section 34.1 (annual reporting) is also subject to sunsetting in 2033-2034.
7) Compliance Training and Technical Assistance
- State Board to develop and provide guidance and training for school districts, vendors, and food service operations.
- Training topics identified via periodic district surveys; may involve external providers; focus on under-resourced districts.
8) Enforcement Timeline and Compliance Actions
- Implementation timeline and administrative actions to address noncompliance are to be established by the State Board and Department of Public Health.
- Good-faith reliance on vendor certifications can establish compliance for a school, provided documentation is kept.
9) Charter Schools (School Code amendment)
- The bill includes modifications to charter school governance and health/safety requirements, aligning charter school practices with the broader Health/Ultraprocessed food reform framework (non-curricular health/safety requirements and related provisions).
Affected Parties
- Public and charter elementary and secondary schools, school districts, vendors and contractors, food service management companies, and state agencies (State Board of Education and Department of Public Health).
- Public entities, local governments, and school food authorities are explicitly included.
- Reimbursable federal meal programs are to be considered in compliance.
Procedural/Timeline Highlights
- Rulemaking deadline: June 1, 2028.
- Phaseout of restricted/ultraprocessed foods: starts July 1, 2029; complete prohibition for vendors by July 1, 2032.
- Vendor reporting: due Feb 1, 2028, with annual updates through Feb 1, 2032; Section 25 sunsets July 1, 2033, repealed Jan 1, 2034.
- Annual reporting to General Assembly begins July 1, 2028, continuing through 2032; public availability of the report.
Sponsors and Support
- Primary sponsor: Rep. Sonya M. Harper
- Numerous co-sponsors and cross-endorsements noted.
Overall, HB 5507 proposes a comprehensive framework to reduce ultraprocessed and restricted foods in Illinois schools, establish criteria and oversight for what constitutes unhealthy school foods, require data reporting and public transparency, provide training and technical assistance, and implement a phased timeline to achieve healthier school nutrition environments.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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