The additional $2 fee for certified copies of death certificates and fetal death certificates must be deposited into the Death Certificate Surcharge Fund, a special fund created in the State treasury. Beginning 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 92nd General Assembly and until January 1, 2003 and then beginning again on July 1, 2003 and until July 1, 2005, moneys in the Fund, subject to appropriation, may be used by the Department for the purpose of implementing an electronic reporting system for death registrations as provided in Section 18.5 of this Act. Before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 92nd General Assembly, on and after January 1, 2003 and until July 1, 2003, and on and after July 1, 2005, moneys in the Fund, subject to appropriations, may be used as follows: (i) 25% by the Coroner Training Board for the purpose of training coroners, deputy coroners, forensic pathologists, and police officers for death investigations and lodging and travel expenses relating to training, (ii) 25% for grants by the Department of Public Health for distribution to all local county coroners and medical examiners or officials charged with the duties set forth under Division 3-3 of the Counties Code, who have a different title, for equipment and lab facilities, (iii) 25% by the Department of Public Health for the purpose of setting up a statewide database of death certificates and implementing an electronic reporting system for death registrations pursuant to Section 18.5, and (iv) 25% for a grant by the Department of Public Health to local registrars.
410 ILCS 535/25.5