State Public Policy

The Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (IAND) promotes public policy and advocate for issues that are aligned with those of our national Academy. Like the Academy, IAND’s public policy priority areas help us to strive towards achieving our mission:

“Help Illinois communities improve health and well-being by empowering health professionals through food and nutrition leadership, education, and evidenced-based practice and advocacy."

Licensure

Illinois is one of 47 states with dietetic licensure or certification. The Illinois legislature passed a bill creating the credential “licensed dietitian/nutritionist” or “LDN.” Click here to find out information about Illinois licensure including the changes to the law that took effect on January 1, 2023.

Annual Legislative Event - Advocacy Day

The Academy encourages each state affiliate to hold an annual state-level legislative event. The Illinois Academy holds its Advocacy Day in the spring at the Illinois State Capital, Springfield, Illinois. Advocacy Day was held virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic. Members and Student Members are encouraged to attend. Click here to learn more about the event and how you can get actively involved.

Find My State Legislators

Plug your address or 9 digit zip code into the Illinois State Board of Elections website to identify your STATE legislators (enter your 9 digit zip code with no spaces/hyphens). To find your 9 digit zip code you can use the "Look Up a ZIP Code" link on the USPS website.

Illinois State Legislature

The Illinois General Assembly is responsible for enacting laws in the state, as well as passing an annual budget. It is comprised of a Senate, with 59 members, and a House of Representatives, with 118 members. The first official working day is the second Wednesday of January each year. For more information on Illinois legislature, visit www.ilga.gov. 

Lobbyist

A Lobbyist is a professional advocate who works to influence political decisions in a variety of ways and means on behalf of a person, organization, or group. Click here to find out about our Lobbyist, David Ormsby, Inc.