101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB2264

 

Introduced , by Rep. Charles Meier

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
505 ILCS 45/8  from Ch. 5, par. 248

    Amends the County Cooperative Extension Law. In order to provide matching funds, which shall not exceed an amount equal to 50% of the funds needed as provided herein, and funds for the purpose of general support to counties for Cooperative Extension programs the State will recognize those needs and shall (rather than may) make an annual appropriation from the Agricultural Premium Fund or any other source of funding available. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB2264LRB101 08640 SLF 53724 b

1    AN ACT concerning agriculture.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The County Cooperative Extension Law is amended
5by changing Section 8 as follows:
 
6    (505 ILCS 45/8)  (from Ch. 5, par. 248)
7    Sec. 8. County extension education funds.
8    (a) The county governing board shall annually consider the
9total budget certified by the county or multi-county extension
10board in order to consider the total funds needed for
11Cooperative Extension Service programs in the county. The
12county governing board may appropriate and pay 50% of the total
13so determined from the general corporate fund or other
14available funds or from an existing extension education tax of
15the county for the extension educational program in the county
16or multi-county group of which it is a part, provided that the
17amount so appropriated shall not exceed $54,400 in counties of
18less than 10,000 inhabitants, $61,200 in counties of 10,000 or
19more but less than 20,000 inhabitants, $68,000 in counties of
2020,000 or more but less than 30,000 inhabitants, $91,000 in
21counties of 30,000 or more but less than 50,000 inhabitants,
22$117,000 in counties of 50,000 or more but less than 100,000
23inhabitants, $156,000 in counties of 100,000 or more but less

 

 

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1than 250,000 inhabitants, $233,000 in counties of 250,000 or
2more but less than 500,000 inhabitants, $311,000 in counties of
3500,000 or more but less than 1,000,000 inhabitants and
4$583,000 in counties of 1,000,000 or more inhabitants. The
5amount to be so appropriated by the county governing board may
6be reduced by the total of any private gifts or grants
7specifically made to support the county extension programs
8included in such determination, and may also be reduced by the
9fair market value of office space furnished the Cooperative
10Extension Service by the county governing board, provided it is
11suitable for extension needs and meets the housing standards
12adopted by the Cooperative Extension Service.
13    In order to provide matching funds, which shall not exceed
14an amount equal to 50% of the funds needed as provided herein,
15and funds for the purpose of general support to counties for
16Cooperative Extension programs the State will recognize those
17needs and shall may make an annual appropriation from the
18Agricultural Premium Fund or any other source of funding
19available.
20    On or before October 15 of each year, the director of
21extension of the University of Illinois shall forward to the
22Director of Agriculture, the Governor, the Speaker of the House
23of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the House of
24Representatives, the President of the Senate, and the Minority
25Leader of the Senate, a report of the determinations made by
26the various county governing boards of the total funds needed

 

 

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1for Cooperative Extension Service programs in the respective
2counties. The State matching funds and funds for the purpose of
3general support shall be included in an appropriation request
4by the Department of Agriculture for the next State fiscal
5year. That request shall be separate and apart from the
6operating appropriation request for the Department of
7Agriculture. The funds so appropriated by the State to the
8Department of Agriculture shall be deposited into the State
9Cooperative Extension Service Trust Fund and transferred as
10provided in Section 8 (d) of this Act. The Department of
11Agriculture shall have no responsibility for or control over
12the cooperative extension service or its programs.
13    All funds provided pursuant to this Act may be used for
14operations or facilities.
15    (b) If sufficient funds are not available from the general
16corporate fund or if sums greater than the maximum listed above
17are needed for the county's share of the extension education
18program, the county governing board shall have the power to
19increase by not more than .05 per cent, with approval by
20referendum, the maximum rate at which it levies, or can levy,
21taxes for general county purposes. Such additional rate shall
22not be included within any statutory limitation or rate or
23amount for other county purposes and shall be in addition
24thereto.
25    Any county that under this Cooperative Extension Law has
26approved a rate by referendum prior to the effective date of

 

 

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1this amendment, shall have authority to continue such tax as
2approved, but may use the provisions of this subsection as
3amended provided that another referendum must be held if the
4rate desired is greater than the rate previously approved.
5    (c) Upon approval by resolution the county board shall
6certify the resolution and the question of the adoption of a
7levy sufficient to produce the sums determined by the county
8board to the proper election officials, who shall submit the
9question to the electors of the county at an election in
10accordance with the general election law. No such levy shall be
11made until the adoption by majority vote of the electors voting
12on the proposition.
13    (d) Funds received from local sources and funds
14appropriated by the county governing board or the State for the
15county extension education program in any county shall be paid
16over to the University of Illinois.
17(Source: P.A. 89-691, eff. 12-31-96; 90-591, eff. 7-1-98.)
 
18    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
19becoming law.