Senate approves Curran initiative to reduce food waste and help less fortunate

From Illinois Senate Republicans

Senate approves Curran initiative to reduce food waste and help less fortunate

4/26/2018

In the effort to reduce food waste and help the less fortunate in Illinois, the State Senate approved legislation sponsored by State Senator John Curran (R-Downers Grove) that allows for state government agencies to donate leftover food to local nonprofits and donation collections.

Senate Bill 2606, passing with unanimous support on April 17, marks the first of Curran's sponsored legislation to be called on the Senate floor.

"It's a concern to see so much food wasted as a result of the current policy," said Curran. "This change to our procurement code is environmentally friendly and helps prevent Illinois from adding unnecessary waste to the already-overflowing landfills. The extra food will also make a very large difference to our local collections and homeless or lower income populations."

Under Senate Bill 2606, Illinois government agencies that enter into contracts with food vendors are required to adopt a policy that allows for leftover food to be donated. The policy must be circulated to all agency employees and include the names of nearby soup kitchens, food banks, and other nonprofits where the food can be donated.

The legislation has no known fiscal impact for the State of Illinois.

"The initiative doesn't cost Illinois to implement or maintain; it is simply a positive change to reduce waste and allocate resources to those in need," said Curran.

Senate Bill 2606 now moves to the Illinois House of Representatives for full consideration.