The Illinois General Assembly has put forward a new bill to address food deserts throughout the state. House Bill 1607, introduced by Rep. Sonya M. Harper calls for the establishment of the Commission on Eliminating Food Deserts. This commission will evaluate existing state initiatives, provide policy recommendations, and advise the General Assembly on funding and best practices to eradicate food deserts.

In Illinois, approximately 3.3 million residents—nearly a quarter of the state’s population—live in food deserts, areas where access to affordable, nutritious food is severely limited due to geographic isolation, economic disparities, or systemic inequities. These regions, both urban and rural, face higher rates of diet-related chronic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions, exacerbating public health crises in already vulnerable communities.

To combat this, the Illinois Grocery Initiative, a $20 million statewide program established under Senate Bill 850 in 2023, has emerged as a cornerstone policy aimed at revitalizing food access through grants for new grocery stores and equipment upgrades for existing ones. While initial rounds of funding have supported projects in cities like Chicago, Peoria, and Rockford, challenges remain in scaling solutions to meet the needs of all underserved populations.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food deserts as low-income census tracts where urban residents live more than half a mile from a supermarket, and rural residents face distances exceeding 10 miles.

In Illinois, 10.2% of census tracts—home to over 1.2 million people—meet the USDA’s stringent criteria for food deserts, with clusters concentrated in Cook, St. Clair, and Peoria counties. Racial disparities are stark: 26 predominantly African American communities in Chicago lack adequate supermarket access, compounding systemic inequities in health outcomes. Hispanic households in Illinois are also disproportionately affected, with 29% experiencing food insecurity in Chicago alone.

Key Provisions of the Bill

• Commission Establishment: The Commission on Eliminating Food Deserts will be established within the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. It will consist of a diverse group of commissioners, including state officials, representatives from the University of Illinois Extension, lawmakers, county government representatives, agricultural and retail industry representatives, residents of food deserts, and non-profit organization representatives.
• Commission Duties: The commission will assess the effectiveness of current state-led initiatives and provide recommendations to the General Assembly. Meetings will be convened as needed to fulfill these duties.
• Support and Compensation: The Office of the Lieutenant Governor will provide administrative support to the commission. Commissioners will serve without compensation but will be reimbursed for expenses from appropriated funds.
• Reporting Requirements: The commission must submit a comprehensive report to the Governor and the General Assembly by January 1, 2027, with annual updates thereafter. The report will detail the number of food deserts, assess progress, and offer recommendations.
• Dissolution Criteria: The commission will dissolve if it reports that 90% of food deserts in Illinois have been eliminated.

This initiative comes as part of broader efforts in Illinois to address food insecurity. Recently, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity awarded $7.9 million in grants to support new grocery stores in food deserts through the Illinois Grocery Initiative, championed by State Senator Christopher Belt.