Illinois Bill: HB 1607
Illinois Commission on Eliminating Food Deserts
Topics
Bill Information
Summary
Bill Summary
Illinois HB1607 establishes the Commission on Eliminating Food Deserts within the Office of the Lieutenant Governor to review and assess current state efforts to address food deserts across Illinois. The Commission will comprise representatives from state agencies, local government, agriculture, food retail, nonprofits, and residents of food desert communities. The Commission is tasked with submitting a comprehensive report to the Governor and General Assembly by January 1, 2027, with annual updates thereafter, detailing findings and recommending policy, funding, and best practices to eliminate food deserts. The Act includes a sunset provision under which the Commission dissolves and the legislation repeals once 90 percent of food deserts in Illinois have been eliminated, subject to specified requirements.
Why It Matters to MAHA
This bill advances health freedom and patient autonomy by directly addressing a structural barrier to accessing healthy food—food deserts represent a regulatory and infrastructure failure that limits consumer choice and access to nutritious alternatives. By establishing a commission focused specifically on eliminating food deserts, Illinois acknowledges that access to real, whole foods is foundational to health and should not be restricted by geography or economic circumstance. MAHA supports this initiative because improving access to affordable, nutritious food is essential infrastructure for health freedom; it enables patients and families to make informed dietary choices without being forced into dependence on processed, nutrient-poor alternatives. The commission's emphasis on studying and recommending best practices aligns with MAHA's commitment to transparency and evidence-based policy solutions that expand rather than restrict consumer options.
Introduced
04/08/2025
In Committee
10/28/2025
Passed
12/12/2025
Sponsors
Sonya Harper
Democratic Representative (IL)
Edgar González, Jr.
Cosponsor
La Shawn Ford
Democratic Representative (IL)
Carol Ammons
Democratic Representative (IL)