Springfield – As many communities in Illinois nonetheless cope with restricted entry to high quality, wholesome meals, state senator Mattie Hunter is sponsoring a measure destined to analyze the effectiveness of efforts to cut back meals deserts.
“Entry to recent high quality and meals is a primary proper that every particular person in our group deserves,” stated Hunter (D-Chicago). “Though the State has taken measures to handle these inequalities, it’s crucial that we proceed to replicate on the initiatives aimed toward addressing this drawback and studying extra about what might be finished sooner or later.”
In threeRD District, neighborhoods equivalent to Englewood and Woodlawn are thought of meals deserts. In response to the shortage of entry to recent meals, Hubrueda a regulation in 2022 that created the well being growth program to offer monetary help to groceries, nook shops, farmers’ markets and different small meals retailers to assist present wholesome meals to communities.
The 1607 Chamber Regulation undertaking would create the working group to remove meals deserts throughout the Illinois Public Well being Division. The working group would overview the effectiveness of present efforts to remove meals deserts, advise the Normal Meeting on greatest practices to remove meals deserts and current a report of their findings to the governor.
“It is a step in the correct path to make sure that our neighbors have entry to nutritious meals they should dwell lengthy and wholesome lives,” stated Hunter.
The Draft Regulation of the Home of Representatives 1607 accepted the Senate on Sunday.