Illinois legislation · 104th General Assembly
Illinois HR687: CPS PORK PRODUCT BAN
Status: Passed both chambers, May 29, 2026
Urges the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Board of Education to conduct a formal review of the Local School Wellness Policy provision prohibiting pork products. Urges such a review to include identification and disclosure of the original rationale and supporting documentation for the prohibition, consultation with nutrition experts and food service professionals, and consideration of stakeholder input. Encourages the CPS Board of Education to evaluate whether limited menu testing or pilot programs allowing pork products would better align with current nutrition science, cultural inclusion, fiscal stewardship, and full utilization of available USDA foods.
What the bill says
From the introduced text, February 20, 2026:
HR0687LRB104 20831 ECR 34406 r HR0687 LRB104 20831 ECR 34406 r HR0687 LRB104 20831 ECR 34406 r HOUSE RESOLUTION WHEREAS, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is the fourth-largest school district in the United States, serving more than 325,000 students and providing approximately 350,000 meals daily through participation in federal child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program; and WHEREAS, In December 2020, the Chicago Board of Education adopted a Local School Wellness Policy that includes a district-wide prohibition on pork products in all CPS breakfast and lunch offerings; and WHEREAS, Public records requests have not identified documentation explaining the rationale, nutrition analysis, cost analysis, or CPS Board deliberation supporting the adoption of an all-pork prohibition; and WHEREAS, The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, issued by the United States Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (DHHS), recognize pork as a nutrient-dense, high-quality protein that supports child growth, development, and overall health when prepared in appropriate forms; and WHEREAS, Pork provides essential nutrients, including HR0687- 2 -LRB104 20831 ECR 34406 r HR0687 - 2 - LRB104 20831 ECR 34406 r HR0687 - 2 - LRB104 20831 ECR 34406 r complete protein, iron, zinc, B vitamins including B12, and choline, which supports brain development; and WHEREAS, Illinois ranks fourth in the United States in pork production, contributing more than $11.9 …