§ 1 — Laboratory services

(a) The Department of Agriculture is authorized to establish such additional number of animal disease laboratories, not exceeding five, as may be necessary to serve the livestock and poultry industry of the State. (b) Such laboratories each shall be in charge of a licensed veterinarian, who in addition to making serological blood tests, shall be competent to make diagnoses of such cases of livestock and poultry diseases as may be submitted to such laboratories. (c) The Department may enter into an arrangement with the College of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Illinois whereby any cases submitted to such laboratories which are not susceptible of diagnosis in the field or by common laboratory procedure, or upon which research is required, may be submitted to such College of Veterinary Medicine for diagnosis or research. (d) The Department may establish and collect reasonable fees for services performed by such animal disease laboratories. (e) The fees shall be deposited into the Illinois Department of Agriculture Laboratory Services Revolving Fund. (f) Moneys collected under subsection (e) shall be appropriated from the Illinois Department of Agriculture Laboratory Services Revolving Fund solely for the purposes of (1) testing specimens submitted in support of Department programs established for animal health, welfare, and safety, and the protection of Illinois consumers of Illinois agricultural products, and (2) testing specimens submitted by veterinarians and agency personnel to determine whether chemically hazardous or biologically infectious substances or other disease causing conditions are present. (g) The Director may issue rules, consistent with the provisions of this Act, for the administration and enforcement of this Act. These rules shall be approved by the Advisory Board of Livestock Commissioners.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 96-1310, eff. 7-27-10; 97-888, eff. 8-2-12.)