Information maintained by the Legislative Reference Bureau
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SPECIAL DISTRICTS
(70 ILCS 905/) Public Health District Act.

70 ILCS 905/0.01

    (70 ILCS 905/0.01) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 0.01)
    Sec. 0.01. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Public Health District Act.
(Source: P.A. 86-1324.)

70 ILCS 905/1

    (70 ILCS 905/1) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 1)
    Sec. 1. Any town, or two or more adjacent towns in a county under township organization, or any road district, or two or more road districts in a county not under township organization, may be organized into a public health district, provided that the total population to be served by such public health district is not less than 75,000. Any town or road district may become a part of an existing public health district.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 2933.)

70 ILCS 905/2

    (70 ILCS 905/2) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 2)
    Sec. 2. Upon a petition containing the signatures of legal voters in number not less than 10% of the total vote cast in any town or road district, and filed with the town or road district clerk, the proposition of erecting such town or road district into a public health district shall be submitted to a vote of the people in the manner provided by the general election law.
(Source: P.A. 81-1489.)

70 ILCS 905/3

    (70 ILCS 905/3) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 3)
    Sec. 3. Upon a petition requesting that two or more adjacent towns or road districts be erected into a health district and containing the signatures of legal voters in number not less than 10% of the total vote cast in each of two or more adjacent towns or road districts, and filed with the county clerk, the proposition of erecting such towns or road districts into a public health district shall be submitted to a vote of the people of such towns or road districts in the manner provided by the general election law.
(Source: P.A. 81-1489.)

70 ILCS 905/3a

    (70 ILCS 905/3a) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 3a)
    Sec. 3a. Upon a petition containing the signatures of not less than 10% of the legal voters of a town or road district requesting that the town or road district become a part of an existing public health district, which is approved by the board of health of such existing health district and filed with the county clerk, the proposition of such town or road district becoming part of such public health district shall be submitted to the voters of said town or road district in the manner provided by the general election law.
(Source: P.A. 81-1489.)

70 ILCS 905/4

    (70 ILCS 905/4) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 4)
    Sec. 4. Upon the filing of any such petition with the town or road district clerk, the town or road district clerk shall certify the proposition to the proper election officials who shall submit the proposition to referendum in accordance with the general election law.
(Source: P.A. 81-1489.)

70 ILCS 905/5

    (70 ILCS 905/5) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5)
    Sec. 5. Upon the filing of a petition with the proper election official requesting that two or more towns or road districts be erected into a public health district, such election official shall certify to the town or district clerk of each town or road district, petitions for which are on file in his office requesting that such towns or road districts be erected into a public health district, that the proposition of erecting such towns or road districts (naming them) will be submitted to a vote of the people of the towns or road districts at an election in accordance with the general election law.
(Source: P.A. 81-1489.)

70 ILCS 905/5a

    (70 ILCS 905/5a) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 5a)
    Sec. 5a. Upon the filing with the proper election official of a petition requesting that a town or road district become a part of an existing public health district, he shall certify to the proper town or district clerk that the proposition of such town or road district becoming a part of an existing public health district will be submitted to a vote of the people of such town or road district at an election in accordance with the general election law.
(Source: P.A. 81-1489.)

70 ILCS 905/6

    (70 ILCS 905/6) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 6)
    Sec. 6. The proposition shall be voted upon in the same manner as a constitutional amendment or other public measure.
    When the proposition to be voted upon is to erect a town or road district into a public health district, the proposition may be substantially in the following form:
--------------------------------------------------------------
    Shall this .... (town or road               YES
district) be erected into a public           -----------------
health district?                                NO
--------------------------------------------------------------
    When the proposition to be voted upon is to erect two or more adjacent towns or road districts into a public health district, the proposition may be substantially in the following form:
--------------------------------------------------------------
    Shall this .... (town or road district)     YES
unite with the .... (town or road district)  -----------------
of .... to form a public health district?       NO
--------------------------------------------------------------
    When the proposition to be voted upon is whether a town or road district shall become a part of an existing public health district, the proposition may be in substantially the following form:
--------------------------------------------------------------
    Shall this .... (town or road district)     YES
become a part of the .... (name of public    -----------------
health district)?                               NO
--------------------------------------------------------------
(Source: Laws 1953, p. 902.)

70 ILCS 905/7

    (70 ILCS 905/7) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 7)
    Sec. 7. When the proposition voted upon is to erect a single town or road district into a public health district, such proposition shall be carried if a majority of those voting upon the proposition shall vote "yes".
    When the proposition voted upon is to erect two or more adjacent towns or road districts into a health district, such proposition shall be carried if the majority of those voting upon the proposition in each town or road district shall vote "yes."
    When the proposition voted on is whether a town or road district shall become a part of an existing public health district, such proposition shall be carried if a majority of those voting on the proposition shall vote "yes".
(Source: Laws 1953, p. 902.)

70 ILCS 905/8

    (70 ILCS 905/8) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 8)
    Sec. 8. When the proposition is submitted to the voters of a single town or road district, the ballots shall be counted, the returns canvassed and the result declared as in the case of a regular town or district election.
(Source: Laws 1917, p. 763.)

70 ILCS 905/9

    (70 ILCS 905/9) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 9)
    Sec. 9. When the proposition is submitted to the voters of 2 or more adjacent towns or road districts, the ballots shall be counted, and the returns made to the county clerk of the county wherein the petition was filed as in the case of returns to the county clerk at a general election. The returns shall be opened and canvassed by the county canvassing board and the result declared.
(Source: Laws 1963, p. 1145.)

70 ILCS 905/10

    (70 ILCS 905/10) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 10)
    Sec. 10. The town or district clerk, or the county clerk, as the case may be, shall record the result of the vote upon the proposition and such result may be proved in all courts and in all proceedings by such record or by a certified copy thereof.
(Source: Laws 1917, p. 763.)

70 ILCS 905/11

    (70 ILCS 905/11) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 11)
    Sec. 11. In counties not under township organization the county commissioners shall be the board of health for each public health district in the county.
    Where a public health district, in counties under township organization, consists of a single town, the supervisor, assessor and town clerk of such town shall be members of the board of health for the public health district.
    Where a public health district consists of 2 or more adjacent towns, the supervisors of the towns, together with the chairman of the county board shall be members of the board of health for the public health district; provided, that where the public health district consists of 2 towns, and the supervisor of one of such towns is the chairman of the county board, the presiding officer of the county board, with the advice and consent of the county board, shall appoint a qualified voter from one of such towns to serve as a member of the board of health for a term of one year.
    A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
(Source: P.A. 78-1128.)

70 ILCS 905/12

    (70 ILCS 905/12) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 12)
    Sec. 12. The board of health shall meet in some convenient place in the public health district within two weeks after the declaration of the results of the election, and shall elect from their own number a chairman and a secretary, and, either from their own number or otherwise, a treasurer.
(Source: Laws 1917, p. 763.)

70 ILCS 905/13

    (70 ILCS 905/13) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 13)
    Sec. 13. The board of health shall, at its first meeting, select a suitable name for the public health district and file the same with the county clerk of the county in which the district is located, and thenceforth the public health district shall be a body corporate and shall be known by that name. Upon the filing of such name with the county clerk, the public health district shall be deemed to be completely organized.
(Source: Laws 1943, vol. 1, p. 1020.)

70 ILCS 905/14

    (70 ILCS 905/14) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 14)
    Sec. 14. All courts shall take judicial notice of all public health districts organized under this act.
(Source: Laws 1917, p. 763.)

70 ILCS 905/15

    (70 ILCS 905/15) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 15)
    Sec. 15. Each board of health shall:
    1. Hold an annual meeting in April of each year, at which meeting officers shall be elected for the ensuing year;
    2. Hold meetings at least quarterly;
    3. Hold special meetings upon a written request signed by 2 members and filed with the Secretary;
    4. Levy, annually, subject to Section 21 in addition to all other taxes which are now or hereafter may be authorized to be levied on the aggregate valuation of all property within the public health district, a special "public health tax", not to exceed .1% of the value, as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue, of all taxable property embraced within such public health district, according to the valuation of the same as made for the purpose of State and county taxation, which shall form, when collected, a fund to be known as the "public health fund", (i) except that the tax authorized by this subsection 4 may be levied at a rate over .1% but not to exceed .15%, not subject to Section 21 of this Act, if the board of health by resolution initiates a referendum to be held in accordance with the general election law and the question of authorizing a rate not to exceed .15% is approved by a majority of the electors voting on the question, and (ii) further except, if a public health district is situated within any county or multiple-county health department for whose benefit a tax is levied under "An Act in relation to the establishment and maintenance of county and multiple-county public health departments", approved July 9, 1943, as amended, the county clerk shall reduce and abate from the tax levied by the authority of this Act a rate which would produce an amount equal to the amount of the tax accruing to the public health district under the above-named Act. In any public health district in which a health department was established by a referendum prior to January 1, 1970, the board of health may, by a resolution adopted by at least a three-fifths vote and without subsequent referendum, levy a tax at a rate not to exceed the rate set forth above;
    5. Appoint a medical health officer as the executive officer of the board of health, who shall be a citizen of the United States or has made declaration of intention to become a citizen, who shall possess such qualifications as may be prescribed by the State Department of Public Health, or appoint a Public Health Administrator who shall possess such qualifications as may be prescribed by the State Department of Public Health as executive officer of the board of health, provided that the board of health shall make available medical supervision which is considered adequate by the Director of the Department of Public Health;
    6. Appoint, upon the advice and approval of the executive officer, professional and technical personnel who meet the qualifications established by the State Department of Public Health and such clerical and other personnel as the executive officer deems necessary;
    7. Fix the compensation of the medical health officer or administrator;
    8. Provide, equip and maintain suitable offices, facilities and appliances for the health officer or administrator and his staff;
    9. If determined necessary by the board of health, establish, equip and maintain an analytical biological and research laboratory;
    10. Pay, from the "public health fund", the salary of the medical health officer or administrator and the salaries of all appointees and employees and the expenses of maintenance of the public health department, including therein the expense of administering the sanitation and health laws and ordinances;
    11. Consult with other private and public health agencies in the district on the development of local plans for the most efficient performance of health services;
    12. Acquire, hold, lease and sell, in the name of the public health district, real estate and personal property;
    13. Receive contributions of money or property and charge fees for health services;
    14. Publish, annually, on or soon after the second Tuesday in April, in pamphlet form, for free distribution, an annual report showing the condition of their trust on April 1, of that year, the sums of money received from taxation and from other sources, giving the name of the donor, how all moneys have been expended and for what purpose, and such other statistics and information in regard to the work of the health department as they deem of general interest.
(Source: P.A. 86-338.)

70 ILCS 905/15.1

    (70 ILCS 905/15.1) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 15.1)
    Sec. 15.1. Purchases made pursuant to this Act shall be made in compliance with the "Local Government Prompt Payment Act", approved by the Eighty-fourth General Assembly.
(Source: P.A. 84-731.)

70 ILCS 905/17

    (70 ILCS 905/17) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 17)
    Sec. 17. The medical health officer or administrator shall have power, and it shall be his or her duty:
        (1) To be the executive officer of the board of
    
health.
        (2) To enforce and observe the rules, regulations and
    
orders of the State Department of Public Health and all State laws pertaining to the preservation of the health of the people within the public health district, including regulations in which the State Department of Public Health shall require provision of home visitation and other services for pregnant women, new mothers and infants who are at risk as defined by that Department that encompass but are not limited to consultation for parental and child development, comprehensive health education, nutritional assessment, dental health, and periodic health screening, referral and follow-up; the services shall be provided through programs funded by grants from the Department of Public Health from appropriations to the Department for that purpose.
        (3) To exercise the rights, powers and duties of all
    
township boards of health and county boards of health within the public health district.
        (4) To execute and enforce, within the public health
    
district, all city, village and incorporated town ordinances relating to public health and sanitation.
        (5) To investigate the existence of any contagious or
    
infectious disease within the public health district and to adopt measures, with the approval of the State Department of Public Health, to arrest the progress of the same.
        (6) To make all necessary sanitary and health
    
investigations and inspections within the public health district.
        (7) To establish a dental clinic for the benefit of
    
the school children of the district.
        (8) To give professional advice and information to
    
all city, village, incorporated town and school authorities within the public health district in all matters pertaining to sanitation and public health.
        (9) To devote his or her entire time to his or her
    
official duties.
        (10) To establish and execute programs and services
    
in the field of mental health, including intellectual disabilities, not inconsistent with the regulations of the Department of Human Services.
        (11) If approved by the board of health, to enter
    
into contracts with municipalities, other political subdivisions and private agencies for the purchase, sale, delivery or exchange of health services.
(Source: P.A. 97-227, eff. 1-1-12.)

70 ILCS 905/18

    (70 ILCS 905/18) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 18)
    Sec. 18. In all public health districts all ordinances of cities, villages and incorporated towns lying within such public health district, relating to sanitation and public health, shall be administered by the medical health officer or administrator appointed pursuant to this Act, and not otherwise.
(Source: P.A. 79-884.)

70 ILCS 905/19

    (70 ILCS 905/19) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 19)
    Sec. 19. Each board of health, organized under this act, shall be empowered to issue warrants in anticipation of taxes to the same extent, in the same manner and with like limitations and restrictions as county, city, village and incorporated town authorities.
(Source: Laws 1917, p. 763.)

70 ILCS 905/20

    (70 ILCS 905/20) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 20)
    Sec. 20. Each board of health shall, annually, subject to Section 21 of this Act, on or before August 1 of each year, transmit to the county clerk of the county in which the public health district is located a certificate signed by the chairman and treasurer, setting forth the rate or percentage of the taxes by them levied for the purposes herein provided and the county clerk to whom the certificate shall be transmitted shall set down in the general tax warrant of the year for the collection of the State and county taxes, in a separate column to be styled a "public health tax," a tax in amount equal to the sum resulting from the rate or percentage so certified by the board of health upon the real and personal property within the health district according to the valuation of the same as made for the purpose of State and county taxation; and shall set down in each column the amount of tax chargeable to the several persons, corporations, lots or parcels of land, liable for taxes in the public health district according to such rate or percentage, and the collector shall proceed to collect the same in such manner as is now, or may hereafter be provided by law for the collection of State and county taxes; and the provisions of law in respect to collection of State and county taxes, and proceedings to enforce the same, which are now enforced, or which may be hereafter enacted, so far as applicable, shall apply to such taxes; and as fast as such tax shall be collected by the collector or other officer receiving the same, it shall be paid over to the board of health, on the joint order of the chairman and treasurer of the board of health and shall be receipted for by the treasurer. The funds shall be used only for the purposes herein prescribed and shall be disbursed by the treasurer on the joint order of the chairman and secretary. A failure by the board of health to file the certificate with the county clerk in the required time shall not vitiate the assessment.
(Source: Laws 1943, vol. 1, p. 1020.)

70 ILCS 905/21

    (70 ILCS 905/21) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 20.1)
    Sec. 21. Whenever any public health district first levies the tax authorized in Section 15, it shall cause the resolution levying the tax to be published in one or more newspapers published in the district within 10 days after the levy is made. If no newspaper is published in the district, the resolution shall be published in a newspaper having general circulation within the district. The publication of the resolution shall include a notice of (1) the specific number of voters required to sign a petition requesting that the question of the adoption of the tax levy be submitted to the voters of the district; (2) the time within which the petition must be filed; and (3) the date of the prospective referendum. The district secretary shall provide a petition form to any individual requesting one.
    Whenever a petition signed by a number of voters in the district equal to 10% or more of the registered voters in the district is presented to the board of health thereof requesting that the proposition whether the tax provided for in Section 15 of this Act, when this Section 21 is applicable, shall be levied be submitted to the voters of the district, the board of health shall certify the proposition to the proper election officials, who shall submit the proposition at an election in accordance with the general election law. The ballot shall be, substantially, in the following form:
--------------------------------------------------------------
    Shall.... public health               YES
district levy an annual tax of       -------------------------
not to exceed .1%?                        NO
--------------------------------------------------------------
    Notice of such election shall be given in accordance with the provisions of the general election laws.
    If a majority of those voting upon the proposition vote "Yes", the board of health of such district shall annually levy the tax provided for in Section 15 of this Act. If a majority of those voting upon the proposition vote "No", the board of health of such district shall make no annual tax levy thereafter until authorized so to do by the voters of such district in the manner provided therefor in this Section.
(Source: P.A. 86-338; 86-1253; 87-767.)

70 ILCS 905/22

    (70 ILCS 905/22) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 20.2)
    Sec. 22. Whenever the board of health of any public health district determines that it is necessary to issue bonds of the district to enable it to provide buildings for or to make permanent improvements in the public health offices, facilities or laboratories, the board of health shall certify the proposition to the county clerk for submission to the voters. Thereupon, such clerk shall submit the proposition at an election in accordance with the general election law.
(Source: P.A. 81-1489.)

70 ILCS 905/23

    (70 ILCS 905/23) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 20.3)
    Sec. 23. The proposition pursuant to Section 22 shall be in substantially the following form:
--------------------------------------------------------------
    Shall the.... public health
 district issue bonds to the
 amount of.... dollars for the        YES
 purpose of enabling the board
 of health to....(purpose to be
 stated, which shall be either      --------------------------
 to provide buildings for or to
 make permanent improvements in         NO
 the public health offices,
 facilities or laboratories)?
--------------------------------------------------------------
    In case a majority of the votes cast upon the proposition shall be in favor of the issuance of such bonds, the board of health shall issue the bonds of the district not exceeding the amount authorized by the referendum. Such bonds shall become due not more than 20 years after their date, shall be in denominations of $100 or any multiple thereof, and shall bear interest, evidenced by coupons, at a rate not exceeding five per cent per annum, payable semi-annually, as shall be determined by the board.
(Source: P.A. 81-1489.)

70 ILCS 905/24

    (70 ILCS 905/24) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 20.4)
    Sec. 24. The bonds authorized by this Act shall be sold and the proceeds thereof used solely for the specified purpose. At or before the time of delivery of any bond, the board shall file with the county clerk of each county in which the district is situated its certificates, stating the amount of bonds to be issued, or denominations, rate of interest, where payable, and shall include a form of bond to be issued. The board shall levy a direct tax upon all of the taxable property within the district sufficient to pay the principal and interest on the bonds as and when the same respectively mature. The certificates so filed shall be full authority to the county clerk to extend the tax named therein upon all the taxable property within the district. Such tax shall be in addition to all other taxes and shall not be within any rate limitation otherwise prescribed by law.
    The proceeds received from the sale of the bonds shall be received and held by the board and expended under its direction upon the warrant of a majority of the members.
(Source: P.A. 92-16, eff. 6-28-01.)

70 ILCS 905/25

    (70 ILCS 905/25)
    Sec. 25. Discontinuance of a coterminous township. If the office of Township Assessor in a coterminous township is discontinued as provided in Articles 27 and 28 of the Township Code, then the coterminous municipality's Council members shall be the board of health for the public health district under this Act.
(Source: P.A. 98-127, eff. 8-2-13; 99-474, eff. 8-27-15.)

70 ILCS 905/26

    (70 ILCS 905/26)
    Sec. 26. Cessation of district organization. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a majority vote of the board of health is in favor of the proposition to annex the district to another district whose boundaries are contiguous, or consolidate the district into a municipality with which the district is coterminous or substantially coterminous, or consolidate the district into the county in which the district sits, and if the governing authorities of the governmental unit assuming the functions of the former district agree by resolution to accept the functions (and jurisdiction over the territory, if applicable) of the consolidated or annexed district, then the district shall cease. On the effective date of the annexation or consolidation, all the rights, powers, duties, assets, property, liabilities, indebtedness, obligations, bonding authority, taxing authority, and responsibilities of the district shall vest in and be assumed by the governmental unit assuming the functions of the former district.
    The employees of the former district shall be transferred to the governmental unit assuming the functions of the former district. The governmental unit assuming the functions of the former district shall exercise the rights and responsibilities of the former district with respect to those employees. The status and rights of the employees of the former district under any applicable contracts or collective bargaining agreements, historical representation rights under the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act, or under any pension, retirement, or annuity plan shall not be affected by this amendatory Act.
(Source: P.A. 98-1002, eff. 8-18-14.)