Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SB0291

SB0291 Enrolled LRB104 06089 BDA 16122 b

AN ACT concerning State government.

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 One Health Commission Act.

Section 5. Findings and purpose. The General Assembly finds that:

(1) The term "One Health" reflects the interconnectedness of human health, animal health, and the environment.

(2) The strong connections and interdependency between humans, companion animals, livestock, wildlife, and ecosystem health are recognized in the One Health Framework, which facilitates addressing zoonotic diseases, vector-borne diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and other complex, multidisciplinary issues.

(3) Existing One Health initiatives at the federal level were included in both the 2021 Report of the Appropriations Committee of the United States House of Representatives and the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act. Congress directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to collaborate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of the Interior, and other federal agency partners:

(A) to create a National One Health framework to address zoonotic diseases and advance public health preparedness in the United States; and

(B) to collaborate with interagency partners on the development of a One Health coordination mechanism at the federal level to strengthen One Health collaboration related to the prevention of, detection of, control of, and response to zoonotic diseases and related One Health work across the federal government.

(4) Existing One Health initiatives in other states include the passage of Senate Bill 347 and Assembly Bill 1992 in New Jersey in June 2021 for the purpose of developing a New Jersey One Health Commission.

(5) Awareness and collaboration among disciplines will help protect the environment and the health of all species, will save lives in present and future generations, and will improve the quality of life, the physical and mental health, and the productivity of residents of the State.

(6) A One Health approach recognizes that the health of people is connected to the health of animals and the environment, and it has been described as a collaborative, multisector, and transdisciplinary approach, working at the local, regional, national, and global levels, with the goal of achieving optimal health outcomes while recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.

(7) A One Health approach is important because approximately 60% of known infectious diseases in humans and 75% of emerging infectious diseases originate from animals; environmental factors, including climate change, land-use changes, and biodiversity loss, significantly influence the emergence and transmission of zoonotic diseases. Animals can serve as early warning indicators of potential public health threats, and robust agricultural and environmental health systems are integral to public health preparedness and response efforts.

(8) It is, therefore, in the public interest for the State to establish a One Health Commission to promote the health and wellness of Illinois' natural resource, residents, and animals, including pets, livestock, and wildlife, by encouraging the collaborative efforts of experts and leveraging knowledge and resources effectively.

Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:

"One Health" means an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems while recognizing that the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and interdependent.

"Commission" means the One Health Commission established under this Act.

Section 15. One Health Commission.

(a) The One Health Commission is established in the Department of Public Health. The purpose of this Commission shall be to develop a strategic plan to promote interdisciplinary communication and collaboration between physicians, veterinarians, and other scientific professionals and State agencies, with the goal of promoting the health and well-being of the State's residents, animals, and environment.

(b) The goals and responsibilities of the Commission shall include:

(1) recommending the best practices to promote interdisciplinary communication and collaboration between human, animal, and environmental health professionals;

(2) establishing mechanisms to provide feedback on, and to support State agency and local government responses to, and recovery from, zoonotic disease outbreaks in animals and humans;

(3) coordinating and collaborating with appropriate entities to develop effective approaches to reduce hazards to human, animal, and environmental health and ensuring innovative, science-based solutions are integrated into public health strategies;

(4) developing educational and outreach initiatives to promote the One Health approach across State government agencies, the State's academic and research institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and private entities;

(5) collaborating with disciplines for development of effective xenosurveillance and other means of surveilling emerging One Health-related threats; and

(6) promoting and providing education concerning judicious antibiotic use by physicians, veterinarians, and agricultural health professionals, including recommendations on use of antibiotic alternatives, such as bacteriophage therapy.

(c) The Commission shall partner with academic institutions and nongovernmental organizations in the State and consult with associations, organizations, and individuals who are knowledgeable about the One Health initiative.

(d) The Commission shall be composed of the following members:

(1) the Director of Public Health or the Director's designee, who shall serve as co-chairperson;

(2) the President of the University of Illinois, or the President's designee, who shall serve as co-chairperson;

(3) the Director of Agriculture or the Director's designee;

(4) the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency or the Director's designee;

(5) the Director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security or the Director's designee;

(6) the Chairman of the Illinois Housing Development Authority or the Chairman's designee;

(7) the Director of Natural Resources or the Director's designee;

(8) the Secretary of Transportation or the Secretary's designee;

(9) the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity or the Director's designee, who shall serve as an ex officio, nonvoting, advisory member;

(10) 4 members who are experts regarding One Health from the academic or teaching community in this State, appointed by the Director of Public Health;

(11) 2 members who are experts regarding One Health and who are physicians licensed to practice medicine in all its branches in this State, including at least one with expertise in epidemiology or infectious disease surveillance, appointed by the Director of Public Health;

(12) 2 members who are experts regarding One Health and who are veterinarians licensed in this State, entomologists, or licensed environmental health practitioners, appointed by the Director of Public Health; and

(13) one member who represents a safety net medical facility in the State of Illinois who has expertise in One Health, appointed by the Director of Public Health.

(e) The Commission shall convene and meet at the call of a co-chairperson and shall meet as frequently as necessary to carry out its duties as required by this Act.

(e-5) Members shall be appointed for 4-year terms.

(f) The Department of Public Health and the University of Illinois shall provide administrative and other support to the Commission.

(g) The members of the Commission shall serve without compensation.

(h) The Commission shall submit a final report to the General Assembly and the Governor on or before January 1, 2028. This report shall:

(1) outline the development of the One Health Framework described in this Act;

(2) provide details regarding the goals and responsibilities of the Commission in this Act;

(3) provide an assessment of One Health surveillance and response systems; and

(4) provide recommendations for future policy enhancements any other recommendations for legislative or regulatory action to improve, promote, and protect the health and well-being of the State's residents, animals, and environment.

The Commission shall provide an update to this report every 2 years.

(i) The final report under subsection (h) shall be posted on the public websites of the all the State agencies listed in subsection (d) that participate in the Commission.