(505 ILCS 45/8) (from Ch. 5, par. 248)
    Sec. 8. County extension education funds.
    (a) The county governing board shall annually consider the total budget certified by the county or multi-county extension board in order to consider the total funds needed for Cooperative Extension Service programs in the county. The county governing board may appropriate and pay 50% of the total so determined from the general corporate fund or other available funds or from an existing extension education tax of the county for the extension educational program in the county or multi-county group of which it is a part, provided that the amount so appropriated shall not exceed $54,400 in counties of less than 10,000 inhabitants, $61,200 in counties of 10,000 or more but less than 20,000 inhabitants, $68,000 in counties of 20,000 or more but less than 30,000 inhabitants, $91,000 in counties of 30,000 or more but less than 50,000 inhabitants, $117,000 in counties of 50,000 or more but less than 100,000 inhabitants, $156,000 in counties of 100,000 or more but less than 250,000 inhabitants, $233,000 in counties of 250,000 or more but less than 500,000 inhabitants, $311,000 in counties of 500,000 or more but less than 1,000,000 inhabitants and $583,000 in counties of 1,000,000 or more inhabitants. The amount to be so appropriated by the county governing board may be reduced by the total of any private gifts or grants specifically made to support the county extension programs included in such determination, and may also be reduced by the fair market value of office space furnished the Cooperative Extension Service by the county governing board, provided it is suitable for extension needs and meets the housing standards adopted by the Cooperative Extension Service.
    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 make an annual appropriation from the Agricultural Premium Fund or any other source of funding available.
    On or before October 15 of each year, the director of extension of the University of Illinois shall forward to the Director of Agriculture, the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate, and the Minority Leader of the Senate, a report of the determinations made by the various county governing boards of the total funds needed for Cooperative Extension Service programs in the respective counties. The State matching funds and funds for the purpose of general support shall be included in an appropriation request by the Department of Agriculture for the next State fiscal year. That request shall be separate and apart from the operating appropriation request for the Department of Agriculture. The funds so appropriated by the State to the Department of Agriculture shall be deposited into the State Cooperative Extension Service Trust Fund and transferred as provided in Section 8 (d) of this Act. The Department of Agriculture shall have no responsibility for or control over the cooperative extension service or its programs.
    All funds provided pursuant to this Act may be used for operations or facilities.
    (b) If sufficient funds are not available from the general corporate fund or if sums greater than the maximum listed above are needed for the county's share of the extension education program, the county governing board shall have the power to increase by not more than .05 per cent, with approval by referendum, the maximum rate at which it levies, or can levy, taxes for general county purposes. Such additional rate shall not be included within any statutory limitation or rate or amount for other county purposes and shall be in addition thereto.
    Any county that under this Cooperative Extension Law has approved a rate by referendum prior to the effective date of this amendment, shall have authority to continue such tax as approved, but may use the provisions of this subsection as amended provided that another referendum must be held if the rate desired is greater than the rate previously approved.
    (c) Upon approval by resolution the county board shall certify the resolution and the question of the adoption of a levy sufficient to produce the sums determined by the county board to the proper election officials, who shall submit the question to the electors of the county at an election in accordance with the general election law. No such levy shall be made until the adoption by majority vote of the electors voting on the proposition.
    (d) Funds received from local sources and funds appropriated by the county governing board or the State for the county extension education program in any county shall be paid over to the University of Illinois.
(Source: P.A. 101-383, eff. 8-16-19.)