A new Illinois law will give DuPage and Will County health departments the authority to inspect meal kit distribution facilities for the first time, starting Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2027. Whether any such facilities operate in the Naperville area remains publicly unclear.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 2774 the week of July 21, closing a regulatory gap that left meal kit and ready-to-eat meal warehouses outside the reach of local health inspectors. State Sen. Laura Ellman, a Naperville Democrat representing the 21st District, championed the bill in the Senate. State Rep. Maurice West, a Rockford Democrat, sponsored it in the House.

What changes for Naperville-area residents

The DuPage County Health Department inspects more than 4,000 food service facilities across the county, according to its published program description. The Will County Health Department covers more than 2,800. Grocery stores, restaurants and catering kitchens all fall under their oversight.

Meal kit distribution centers did not.

SB 2774 requires those facilities to comply with the same state and local food safety regulations that apply to every other business handling food for consumers. It also empowers local health departments to enforce Illinois Department of Public Health rules at those sites. According to Ellman's office, the meal kit industry grew faster than the regulatory framework built for brick-and-mortar food businesses, leaving distribution warehouses in a gap that no local agency had explicit power to fill.

"Families are relying more than ever on convenient meal options – they deserve the same level of safety and oversight no matter where their food comes from," Ellman said in a statement announcing the signing. "This law will close a gap in our current system while also helping to protect public health."

What remains unknown

Neither the DuPage County Health Department nor the Will County Health Department has publicly identified whether any meal kit or ready-to-eat meal distribution facilities operate within their boundaries. The law takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, regardless. Residents who want to know whether a facility operates near them can file a Freedom of Information Act request (5 ILCS 140) with the DuPage County Health Department at 111 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, or call 630-682-7400.

The exact date of the governor's signature has not been independently confirmed. Ellman's office announced the signing Thursday, July 24, stating the bill was "signed into law Friday."

City Hall week ahead

• Tuesday, Aug. 5, 7 p.m. — Naperville City Council, regular meeting. Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St. Agenda expected at naperville.il.us. (Date based on the city's standard first-and-third-Tuesday schedule; not yet confirmed on the official calendar.)
• Thursday, Aug. 6, 5:30–7 p.m. — Mobile office hours with U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, hosted by Sen. Ellman. Lisle Library, 777 Front St., Lisle. No appointment needed. Contact: (630) 601-9961.