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HB5235 • 2026
FOOD SYSTEM COORDINATION ACT
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.
FOOD SYSTEM COORDINATION ACT
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Kevin John Olickal
Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Rule 19(c) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Recommends Be Adopted Human Services Committee ; 012-000-000
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Sonya M. Harper
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee
House Floor Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Human Services Committee
Second Reading - Short Debate
Held on Calendar Order of Second Reading - Short Debate
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin
Do Pass / Short Debate Human Services Committee ; 008-004-000
Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Nicolle Grasse
Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Michael Crawford
Assigned to Human Services Committee
First Reading
Referred to Rules Committee
Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Sonya M. Harper
FOOD SYSTEM COORDINATION ACT
Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB5235 Select Language × The Illinois General Assembly offers the Google Translate™ service for visitor convenience. In no way should it be considered accurate as to the translation of any content herein. Visitors of the Illinois General Assembly website are encouraged to use other translation services available on the internet. The English language version is always the official and authoritative version of this website. NOTE: To return to the original English language version, select the "Show Original" button on the Google Translate™ menu bar at the top of the window. 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Full Text of HB5235 Home Legislation Full Text HB5235 - 104th General Assembly Bill Status Full Text Votes Witness Slips Select Menu Bill Status Full Text Votes Witness Slips Printer Friendly Version Introduced House Amendment 001 Printer Friendly Version Introduced House Amendment 001 Open PDF 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB5235 Introduced 2/10/2026, by Rep. Sonya M. Harper SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: New Act 20 ILCS 1305/10-65 Creates the Comprehensive Charitable Food System Coordination Act. Provides that, in administering or appropriating State or State-managed federal grant funds for hunger relief, each State agency must: (1) consult and coordinate with specified actors in the charitable food system; (2) ensure that grant solicitations and funding criteria reflect the interconnected roles of food providers, distributors, producers, facilitators, and data systems; and (3) consider proposals that strengthen coordination, efficiency, resiliency, and equity across the charitable food system. Provides that State agencies are encouraged to establish advisory groups or working groups comprised of actors in the charitable food system. Requires certain reports. Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall make grants from the Hunger Relief Fund to food banks and providers (currently, food banks only). Effective July 1, 2026. LRB104 17381 HLH 30806 b A BILL FOR HB5235 LRB104 17381 HLH 30806 b 1 AN ACT concerning finance. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 5 Comprehensive Charitable Food System Coordination Act. 6 Section 5. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to ensure 7 that State-administered hunger relief programs and grantmaking 8 activities strengthen the entire charitable food system by 9 considering all key actors involved in food access, 10 distribution, and coordination. 11 Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act: 12 "Actor in the charitable food system" means a person or 13 entity that is included in one or more of the following 14 categories: 15 (1) food providers, including food banks, food 16 pantries, community-based organizations, non-profit 17 organizations, schools, hospitals, mutual aid 18 organizations, retailers, and meal programs; 19 (2) food distributors, including last-mile delivery 20 organizations, and food wholesalers; 21 (3) food producers, including farmers, agricultural 22 cooperatives, and community gardens; HB5235 - 2 - LRB104 17381 HLH 30806 b 1 (4) facilitators,including logistics providers, 2 warehousers, storage facilities, aggregators, outreach 3 coordinators, and operational support agencies; and 4 (5) operators of data systems used for the tracking, 5 measurement, and reporting of food and other edible 6 commodities. 7 "Charitable food system" means the network of 8 organizations, entities, and systems that procure, transport, 9 distribute, or facilitate access to food or edible 10 commodities, or the products of food or edible commodities, 11 for individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. 12 Section 15. State grant coordination requirements. 13 (a) In administering or appropriating State or 14 State-managed federal grant funds for hunger relief, each 15 State agency must: 16 (1) consult and coordinate with, to the extent 17 practicable, all of the categories of actors in the 18 charitable food system listed in Section 10; 19 (2) ensure that grant solicitations and funding 20 criteria reflect the interconnected roles of food 21 providers, distributors, producers, facilitators, and data 22 systems; and 23 (3) consider proposals that strengthen coordination, 24 efficiency, resiliency, and equity across the charitable 25 food system. HB5235 - 3 - LRB104 17381 HLH 30806 b 1 (b) State agencies are encouraged to establish advisory 2 groups or working groups comprised of representatives from the 3 categories of actors in the charitable food system listed in 4 Section 10 to assist in developing funding priorities, 5 performance metrics, and partnership guidelines. 6 Section 20. Reporting; evaluation. Each State agency 7 administering hunger relief grant funds must submit an annual 8 report to the appropriate State oversight entity describing: 9 (1) how actors in the charitable food system were 10 engaged in grant planning, allocation, and evaluation; 11 (2) measurable impacts on food access, food quality, 12 and community resilience; and 13 (3) barriers or opportunities identified through 14 cross-sector collaboration. 15 Section 25. Authorization of appropriations. The General 16 Assembly shall provide by law for appropriations in such sums 17 as may be necessary to carry out this Act. 18 Section 900. The Department of Human Services Act is 19 amended by changing Section 10-65 as follows: 20 (20 ILCS 1305/10-65) 21 Sec. 10-65. Hunger Relief Fund; grants. 22 (a) The Hunger Relief Fund is created as a special fund in HB5235 - 4 - LRB104 17381 HLH 30806 b 1 the State treasury. From appropriations to the Department from 2 the Fund, the Department shall make grants to food banks and 3 providers for the purpose of purchasing food and related 4 supplies. In this Section, "food bank" means a public or 5 charitable institution that maintains an established operation 6 involving the provision of food or edible commodities, or the 7 products of food or edible commodities, to food pantries, soup 8 kitchens, hunger relief centers, or other food or feeding 9 centers that, as an integral part of their normal activities, 10 provide meals or food to feed needy persons on a regular basis. 11 (b) Moneys received for the purposes of this Section, 12 including, without limitation, appropriations, gifts, 13 donations, grants, and awards from any public or private 14 entity must be deposited into the Fund. Any interest earned on 15 moneys in the Fund must be deposited into the Fund. 16 (c) As used in this Section, "provider" means a public or 17 charitable organization that is unaffiliated with a food bank 18 and maintains an operation involving the provision of food or 19 edible commodities that, as an integral part of their normal 20 activities, provide meals or food to feed needy persons on a 21 regular basis. 22 (Source: P.A. 96-604, eff. 8-24-09; 97-333, eff. 8-12-11.) 23 Section 999. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 24 2026. Footer Disclaimer This site is maintained for the Illinois General Assembly by the Legislative Information System, 705 Stratton Building, Springfield, Illinois 62706. Contact ILGA Webmaster ILGA.gov uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to browse ILGA.gov you consent to our use of cookies. 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