(505 ILCS 45/1) (from Ch. 5, par. 241) Sec. 1. Short title. This law may be known and cited as the "County Cooperative Extension Law." (Source: Laws 1963, p. 2221.)

(505 ILCS 45/2) (from Ch. 5, par. 242) Sec. 2. Declaration of policy. It is declared to be the policy of the General Assembly to provide for aid in disseminating among the people of Illinois useful and practical information on subjects relating to agriculture and home economics and other University programs and to encourage the application of the same in the several counties of the state through extension work to be carried on by the University of Illinois College of Agriculture in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. A sharing of responsibility is essential with counties of the state in providing for local costs of Cooperative Extension to supplement appropriations by the General Assembly of the State of Illinois and of the Congress of the United States to the University of Illinois. This does not preclude voluntary grant funds from being a part of the county extension council's budget. (Source: Laws 1967, p. 2278.)

(505 ILCS 45/2a) (from Ch. 5, par. 242a) Sec. 2a. Information and assistance. (a) The Cooperative Extension Service of the University of Illinois shall provide information and assistance to person who are timber growers and to persons who may be unaware of the economic and soil and water conservation benefits that can be attained through forestry management on marginal agricultural lands. (b) The Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Cooperative Extension Service of the University of Illinois, in conjunction with the Agriculture Experiment Station and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, shall provide information on aquaculture and shall explore the establishment of an aquaculture resource center for disseminating information and demonstrating the viability of aquaculture as a part of the diversified agriculture of this State. The Department of Agriculture in cooperation with the (i) Cooperative Extension Service of the University of Illinois, (ii) Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, (iii) Illinois State University at Bloomington-Normal, (iv) Western Illinois University at Macomb, and (v) community colleges organized under the Public Community College Act shall provide information and assistance to the aquaculture industry in the State concerning the Aquaculture Cooperative established under the Aquaculture Development Act and incorporated under the Agricultural Co-Operative Act. (Source: P.A. 91-530, eff. 8-13-99.)

(505 ILCS 45/2b) (from Ch. 5, par. 242b) Sec. 2b. The Cooperative Extension Service of the University of Illinois may establish a Rural Transition Program to be operated in cooperation with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to provide assessments, career counseling, on-the-job training, tuition reimbursements, classroom training, financial management training, work experience opportunities, job search skills, job placement, youth programs, and support service to farmers and their families, agriculture-related employees, other rural residents, and small rural businesses who are being forced out of farming or other primary means of employment or whose standard of living or employment has been reduced because of prevailing economic conditions in the agricultural or rural economy. Eligible farmers and their families shall include those who can demonstrate proof of financial stress, proof of foreclosure, proof of bankruptcy, proof of inability to secure needed capital, proof of voluntary foreclosure or proof of income eligibility for assistance programs administered by the Department of Human Services (acting as successor to the Department of Public Aid under the Department of Human Services Act). Eligible agriculture related employees shall mean tenant farmers or other farm employees and employees of businesses related to agricultural production who are facing displacement, unemployment or underemployment due to a closure or reduction in operation of such business or farm due to poor economic conditions that prevail in the agricultural or rural economy. Other eligible rural residents shall include those residing in rural areas whose employment or standard of living has been reduced due to the poor economic conditions that prevail in the agricultural or rural economy. Eligible small rural businesses shall include those existing or new businesses established and operating in rural areas that lack access to other sources of services provided by this Section. In carrying out the provisions of this Section, the Cooperative Extension Service may enter into agreements with the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, community colleges, vocational schools, and any other State or local private or public agency or entity deemed necessary. (Source: P.A. 99-27, eff. 1-1-16.)

(505 ILCS 45/3) (from Ch. 5, par. 243) Sec. 3. Definition of terms. Whenever used or referred to in this Act, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context, (1) "Cooperative Extension Service" means the "Cooperative Extension Service of the College of Agriculture, of the University of Illinois," hereinafter referred to as "cooperative extension service"; (2) "director of extension" means the "Director of the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service," hereinafter referred to as "director of extension"; (3) "Board of Trustees" shall mean "The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois" hereinafter referred to as "Board of Trustees." (Source: Laws 1963, p. 2221.)

(505 ILCS 45/4) (from Ch. 5, par. 244) Sec. 4. County or multi-county extension councils. The Board of Trustees is authorized to provide for county extension councils or multi-county extension councils and may issue instructions and procedures regarding membership, officers to be elected, meetings of the councils, operating procedures and structure, including executive councils consisting of representatives of the other county extension councils in a county or in a multi-county group. (Source: P.A. 77-2729.)

(505 ILCS 45/5) (from Ch. 5, par. 245) Sec. 5. Powers and duties of county or multi-county extension councils. The county and multi-county extension councils may exercise the following powers and duties and such other duties in their respective counties or areas as are designated by the Board of Trustees. (a) To cooperate with Cooperative Extension Service personnel in planning an extension educational program in agriculture, home economics and subjects relating thereto, including 4-H Club and community resource development work, and to periodically review the programs as approved by the director of extension for the county or for the multi-county group. (b) To make recommendations for the employment of all extension personnel except those on University Civil Service from qualified nominees furnished to it and recommended by the director of cooperative extension. The councils may also recommend increases or decreases in the Cooperative Extension Service staff as may be deemed necessary. (c) To prepare and submit to the director of extension for approval annually a total budget for the funds needed for extension programs in the county or in the multi-county area, and to submit the approved budget and request for such funds to the county or multi-county extension board. (d) To pay over all funds received for Cooperative Extension Service programs to the University of Illinois to be disbursed according to Section 9 of this Act. (e) To cooperate with and provide program information to individuals, groups and organizations. Nothing in this Act shall prevent the county extension councils or Cooperative Extension Service personnel from using or seeking opportunities to reach an audience of persons interested in cooperative extension work through the help of interested organizations or groups, provided that, in using or seeking such opportunities, the extension councils or extension personnel shall make available to all individuals, groups and organizations in the county equal opportunity to cooperate in the Cooperative Extension Service education program. (Source: P.A. 77-2729.)

(505 ILCS 45/6) (from Ch. 5, par. 246) Sec. 6. Limitations on powers and activities of extension councils. (a) The county and multi-county extension councils shall not attempt in any manner, by the adoption of resolutions or otherwise, to influence legislation, either state or national, except where the cooperative extension service is directly affected by the legislation. (b) The councils may accept contributions on behalf of the University for county or multi-county extension activities, but shall not collect dues. This shall not prohibit the homemakers extension associations from collecting assessments or fees for the purpose of supplementing an extension program. (c) No member of an extension council shall be paid any salary for services rendered the council. (Source: P.A. 77-2729.)

(505 ILCS 45/7) (from Ch. 5, par. 247) Sec. 7. County and multi-county extension boards. (a) A county extension board shall be established in each county upon the request of the director of extension of the University of Illinois to facilitate effective cooperation between the extension councils and the county governing board. The county extension board shall consist of two men and two women who are members of the county extension councils appointed by the director of extension and three members appointed by the presiding officer of the board, with the advice and consent of the county board, who may be members of the county governing board. (b) The county extension board, after reviewing the budgets and requests for funds of the county extension councils, shall prepare annually a budget for the total funds needed for the Cooperative Extension Service education program in the county, taking into consideration the programs in agriculture and home economics for adults and youth and the coordination of such programs. The county extension board shall then certify funds needed from the county and the Agricultural Premium Fund to the county governing board. The county extension board shall inform the county extension councils of the final disposition of their budget request and the amount of the appropriation from the governing board. The director of extension shall establish such additional policies and procedures as may be needed for the effective functioning of the county extension board. (c) Where more than one county forms an extension administrative unit, or where the director of cooperative extension, the extension councils and the county extension boards of two or more counties determine that the needs of each county can best be served by a multi-county organization of cooperative extension, a multi-county or area extension board shall be created upon the request of the director of extension. Such multi-county extension boards shall perform the same duties as are designated for county extension boards in paragraph (b) of this section. Each multi-county extension board shall be comprised of two men and two women appointed by the director of cooperative extension from the constituent county extension councils, but not less than one person from each county, and three representatives, but not less than one from each county, appointed by the presiding officer of the county board of each county, with the advice and consent of the county board, who may be members of the county board. (d) The amount certified as needed to each county governing board by a multi-county extension board shall be in the same proportion to the total need determined by the multi-county extension board as the equalized assessed valuation of that county is to the total equalized assessed valuation of the counties in the multi-county unit; except, where the multi-county board determines that a different allocation among the counties is in the best interests of the extension program in the multi-county unit, and where the Director of Extension concurs in this determination, the amount certified as needed to each county governing board shall be the amount determined to be in the best interests of the extension program. (Source: P.A. 86-232.)

(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.)

(505 ILCS 45/9) (from Ch. 5, par. 249) Sec. 9. Expenditure of funds. Expenditures from funds appropriated by the county or contributed from other sources for use in the county or multi-county unit shall be made in accordance with University fiscal procedures and based on certifications prepared by county extension personnel and approved by the chairman of the county extension council or other authorized person for payment. The University will maintain a record showing charges made against funds contributed from each county. (Source: Laws 1967, p. 2278.)

(505 ILCS 45/10) (from Ch. 5, par. 250) Sec. 10. Reports. The county extension councils shall submit an annual financial report in writing to the county extension board, and the county extension board shall report to the county governing board. (Source: P.A. 77-2729.)

(505 ILCS 45/11) (from Ch. 5, par. 251) Sec. 11. Supplemental to other acts. The provisions of the Act shall not be construed or held to repeal "An act to enable the county boards to appropriate funds for the use of soil and crop improvement and home improvement associations of their several counties," approved June 27, 1913, as amended, but shall be in addition and supplemental thereto. (Source: Laws 1963, p. 2221.)