Illinois Senate Ratifies Halal Food Act

By Armond Caglar
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- In what is heralded as a significant milestone for more than 450,000 U.S. Muslims in the Chicago area, the Illinois state senate has unanimously passed the Halal Food Act, a bipartisan initiative sponsored by more than 30 state senators that will make the falsification of information about food products marketed to Muslims a punishable offense under Illinois state law.

The act, passed April 10, is an effort to stop the fraudulent mislabeling of non-Halal products as Halal. Halal products are foods that have been prepared according to Muslim dietary laws.

In addition to regulation of the labeling and marketing of Halal products by grocery retailers, the Illinois act requires farms that raise and process livestock to provide proof of Halal claims in accordance with rules adopted by the state's director of agriculture.

"This bill is an example of the power of political activism on the part of the American Muslim community," said Aly Abuzaakouk, executive director of the American Muslim Council. "Grassroots efforts are the bedrock upon which policies are determined at state, national, and international levels."

Similar legislation has been passed by other states. In July 2000, New Jersey passed the nation's first Halal food bill. Minnesota has also adopted a Muslim consumer protection bill.

The Illinois bill differs from previous legislation, however, in that it is an entirely new bill and not an amendment to an already existing Kosher law. California, Michigan, New York, Texas and Virginia are also considering bills to protect Muslim consumers.

The Illinois bill must still be approved by the state house of representatives and signed by the governor before becoming law, but sources have said they expect both to strongly support the legislation.

"This milestone serves as official recognition by the state of Illinois that they respect our interests as Muslims," said Dr. Sabri Samirah, president of United Muslim Americans Association, an Illinois political action group. "We feel very happy and very proud."

(Distributed by the Office of International Programs, U.S. Department of State. Website: http://usinfo.state.gov)