Nutrition Regulation Map

Combined Map | Trans Fat Ban Map | Menu Labeling Initiative Map

Select your state or locality below to view the key highlights of foodservice nutrition regulatory initiatives.

Illinois

The 2009-2010 Illinois legislature has introduced two additional bills in 2010 that address menu labeling. The first bill is called the Menu Education and Labeling Act. Restaurants and similar retail food establishments would be required to post a sign informing their customers that �Certain food on the menu may be high in calories, grams of saturated fat plus trans fat, and milligrams of sodium per serving, which has been known to cause diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.� The Rules Committee is reviewing the bill.

The second bill, the Menu Labeling Act, would require foodservice establishments with 15 or more locations nationwide to display calories on menus and menu boards. For drive through menus, calories can either be displayed on menu boards or on an adjacent stanchion. The Department of Public Health would be responsible for adopting rules to administer and enforce the Act. The bill has been re-referred to the Rules Committee.

In April 2009, the House introduced the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA), which is modeled after the LEAN Act. The act would apply to foodservice establishments with 20 or more locations nationwide. This would create uniform nutrition labeling standards across the state. The Consumer Protection Committee is reviewing the bill.

The Menu Labeling and Education Act of 2009 was also introduced. The Act would require restaurants and food establishments to post a sign informing customers that certain foods on the menu may be high in calories, grams of saturated and trans fats, and milligrams of sodium, which have been known to cause diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. The House Rules Committee is reviewing the legislation.

A similar piece of legislation was introduced in 2007. The Menu Education and Labeling Act of 2007 would have required restaurants and foodservice establishments with 10 or more locations nationwide to list nutrition information for all standard menu items. The proposal died at the end of the legislative session.

Also in 2007, the Trans Fat Disclosure Act was introduced. The Act would have banned food containing artificial trans fat from being stored, distributed, held for service, or used in preparation of any menu item or in any foodservice establishment. The requirement would have applied to restaurants with revenues over $20 million annually in grosssales. The Department of Public Health would have developed the rules to administer and enforce the Act, but no action resulted.

The state has taken an active role in initiating measures to bring higher nutrition standards into the public school system. Both the House and the Senate have introduced 2009-2010 legislation that would eliminate vegetable oil with trans fat in all food served in the public school system beginning July 1, 2010. The complete elimination of trans fat would be effective for all other foods beginning July 1, 2011. The House Rules Committee and the Senate Assignments Committee are reviewing the legislation. A similar proposal was introduced in 2008 and discussion on the bill was extended.

Chicago

In 2006, a proposal to ban trans fat from restaurants with $20 million or more in annual gross revenue was introduced. The ordinance is on hold, indefinitely. Menu labeling legislation was introduced in March 2008, and an ordinance to eliminate trans fat in foodservice establishments was considered. No action has been taken on either.

Chicago has created the Mayor�s Fitness Council to promote, educate, and motivate Chicagoans to get moving and eat healthier. They offer a list of restaurants that offer heart healthy food options, provide smart eating tips, and have education materials on trans fat to increase public awareness provided on the city website.