Bill Text: IL HB0985 | 2009-2010 | 96th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Creates the Genetically Engineered Food Right To Know Act. Provides that all foods containing genetically engineered material or produced with genetically engineered material must be clearly marked with a label placed in a conspicuous place that indicates that the food contains genetically engineered material or was produced with a genetically engineered material. Provides the specific language to be included on the label. Provides that the Department of Public Health may create rules necessary for the implementation of the Act.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-03-13 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB0985 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2009-HB0985-Introduced.html

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96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2009 and 2010 HB0985 Introduced 2/10/2009, by Rep. Deborah Mell SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
New Act
Creates the Genetically Engineered Food Right To Know Act. Provides that all foods containing genetically engineered material or produced with genetically engineered material must be clearly marked with a label placed in a conspicuous place that indicates that the food contains genetically engineered material or was produced with a genetically engineered material. Provides the specific language to be included on the label. Provides that the Department of Public Health may create rules necessary for the implementation of the Act.
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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning public health.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Genetically Engineered Food Right To Know Act.
Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds all of the
following:
(1) Consumers wish to know whether the food they
purchase and consume contains or is produced with a
genetically engineered material for a variety of reasons,
including the potential transfer of allergens into food and
other health risks, concerns about potential environmental
risks associated with the genetic engineering of crops, and
religiously and ethically based dietary restrictions.
(2) Consumers have a right to know whether the food
they purchase contains or was produced with genetically
engineered material.
(3) Labels voluntarily placed on foods are
insufficient to provide consumers with adequate
information concerning whether or not all of the food they
purchase contains or was produced with genetically
engineered material.
(4) Mandatory labeling provides a critical scientific

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method necessary for the continual post market
surveillance to study long-term health impacts and
enforcement of food safety laws preventing adulterated
foods from reaching consumers.
Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:
"Food" includes an animal grown to become food for human
consumption, a food product, a food ingredient, a dietary
supplement, or a beverage. "Food" does not include a raw
agricultural commodity.
"Genetically engineered material" means material derived
from any part of a genetically engineered organism, without
regard to whether the altered molecular or cellular
characteristics of the organism are detectable in the material.
"Genetically engineered organism" means:
(1) an organism that has been altered at the molecular
or cellular level by means that are not possible under
natural conditions or processes, including, but not
limited to, recombinant DNA and RNA techniques, cell
fusion, microencapsulation, macroencapsulation, gene
deletion and doubling, introducing a foreign gene, and
changing the positions of genes, other than a means
consisting exclusively of breeding, conjugation,
fermentation, hybridization, in vitro fertilization,
tissue culture, or mutagenesis; and
(2) an organism made through sexual or asexual

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reproduction or both involving an organism described in
paragraph (1) of this Section if it possesses any of the
altered molecular or cellular characteristics of the
organism.
"Label" means a display of written, printed, or graphic
matter upon an article or the immediate container, not
including a package liner, of an article.
Section 15. Label required.
(a) All foods containing genetically engineered material
or produced with genetically engineered material must be
clearly marked with a label placed in a conspicuous place that
indicates that the food contains genetically engineered
material or was produced with a genetically engineered
material. The label must contain the following language:
"This product contains a genetically engineered material
or was produced with a genetically engineered material.".
(b) For purposes of this Section, a food is considered to
have been produced with a genetically engineered material if:
(1) the organism from which the food is derived has
been injected or otherwise treated with a genetically
engineered material, except that the use of manure as
fertilizer for raw agricultural commodities may not be
construed to mean that such commodities are produced with a
genetically engineered material;
(2) the animal from which the food is derived has been

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fed genetically engineered material; or
(3) the food contains an ingredient that has been
subjected to treatment described in paragraph (1) or (2) of
subsection (b) of this Section.
Section 20. Rules. The Department of Public Health may
create rules necessary for the implementation of this Act.