(a) Examine the financial statements of the county superintendent of schools required by Section 15-21 and compare them with vouchers.
     (b) The county board, or so many thereof as are present at its meeting, shall be liable individually to the fund injured and to the sureties of the county superintendent, if judgment is recovered from the sureties, for all damages occasioned by neglect of the duties, or any of them, required of the board by this section; but nothing herein shall be construed to exempt the sureties and they shall remain liable to the fund injured the same as if the members of the county board were not liable to them for neglect of their duty. On and after July 1, 1994, the provisions of this subsection (b) shall have no application in any county having a population of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants.