Execitive Report
Governor's message to the General Assembly:
His 36-item legislative program
Excerpts from Gov. Dan Walker's 'state of the state' address. He presents his plans, accomplishments and mistakes
GOV. DAN WALKER'S "state of the state" message, delivered to a joint session of the General Assembly on February 13, presented a 36-item legislative program, listed accomplishments of his administration, confessed mistakes, and emphasized the need for "wise use of the resources available to us" and holding "the line on taxes."
At the opening of his 3,600-word address, the governor said that the "state of the state" was characterized by:
"1. Deepening recession, increasing unemployment and, consequently, greater governmental expenses.
"2. Inflation which hurts families and adds to the direct costs of government.
"3. Increasing demands for more government services of all types and at all levels."
He called for early legislative action on the accelerated building program (financed by bonds) which he proposed in a special message January 22 (see "Walker's building program," Illinois Issues, April, p. 122). Walker asserted this was needed "to help cope with the current recession, the most severe since World War II."
The governor concluded with his own outlook on restoring confidence in
government.
"It's almost become a cliche that government must re-earn public confidence," he said. "But actually that is a mis-reading of the problem. What governments must do is show their confidence in the people — in their ability to decide what is best. We in public office were chosen to serve the public, not to convince them that they should somehow believe that we know what is best for them.
"And I believe that the Executive and Legislative branches of Illinois government should work together. That instead of raising new bureaucracy and new taxes, we should raise a new spirit based on a shared belief in the worth, power, creativity and dignity of each individual. That the individual is the final answer."
His legislative program
When Gov. Walker first addressed the 78th General Assembly after taking office, he was criticized for failing to present a legislative program. This time he made up for that omission. About one-fourth of his message consisted of briefly presented proposals for legislative action. These proposals are summarized below.
Summary of Walker's legislative program
Labor
1. "increase and reform unemployment compensation"
2. "modernize our workmen's compensation system"
3. "prohibit the use of strikebreakers" 4. "provide a framework for collective bargaining by public employees" 5. "improve minimum wage coverage benefits"
Consumer protection
6. "eliminate abuses in consumer credit,
auto repairs and other service dealers"
7. "assure fair treatment for tenants, mobile home dwellers and condominium purchasers"
8. "require prescriptions for the sale of hearing aids"
9. "require that prescriptions be made out in the name of generic drugs"
10. "require open shelf dating"
Insurance
11. "give a true no-fault insurance bill to the automobile owners of this state"
Privacy
12. "preserve 'the confidentiality and assure the accuracy of student records, credit reports and state government files relating to individual citizens"
Personal safety
13. enact "legislation requiring that persons accused of crimes be brought to trial in 60 days"
14. establish "a professional, statewide probation system"
15. reform "the rape laws"
May 1975 /Illinois Issues/155
16. tighten "the procedures for bail"
Mental health
17. "implement the revisions to the Mental Health Code recommended by the Governor's Commission"
Reorganization
18. establish "a new Department of Consumer Affairs and Business Licensing to replace the Department of Registration and Education"
19. "add consumer representatives to all the licensing boards"
20. "establish the Consumer Advocate within the Department" of Consumer Affairs and Business Licensing
21. change the "Division of Vocational Rehabilitation . . . [to] a Code Department"
22. transfer the "administrative functions of Comprehensive Health Planning ... to the Department of Public Health" (it is now an independent agency)
23. establish an "independent commission ... to administer the property tax assessment functions now housed in the Department of Local Government Affairs"
24. consolidate the "fragmented functions dealing with nuclear safety"
Electoral reform
25. adopt "longer voting hours"
26. "adopt the postcard registration system"
E. R. A.
27. "ratify the Equal Rights Amendment"
Judiciary
28. adopt a constitutional amendment "on merit selection of judges"
29. adopt legislation "increasing the number of judges we need to make the system of justice more efficient"
Discrimination
30. "give the FEPC [Fair Employment Practices Commission] the power to initiate complaints"
Budget reform
31. establish "a joint executive-legislative task force to recommend changes in the budget procedures to make them more meaningful and to eliminate unnecessary detail which leads to excessive and costly paperwork"
Ethics and personnel
32. codify and extend throughout state government the "executive order requiring disclosure of income, assets, liability and other pertinent financial information"
33. "close the loopholes in the existing campaign disclosure law"
34. extend "Civil service protection . . . to employees of all executive offices and major independent boards"
35. "require disclosure of land trust beneficiaries"
36. "require public disclosure of the activities of lobbyists"
Walker's self-graded scorecard
The governor gave his administration good points for accomplishments in several fields. He also admitted, "I have made my share of mistakes." Summarized below are the gains made by his administration as he views them, as well as his report on his mistakes.
The accomplishments
MENTAL HEALTH: A five-year program is in preparation. "New standards" have been developed, and "community agencies are increasing the scope of their programs." The rate of discharge of patients into private facilities has been slowed. Several new state facilities have been opened to "offer the best in treatment for the developmentally disabled .... several older facilities now have separate wings for the treatment and education of the developmentally disabled."
PUBLIC AID: The ineligibility rate is "still too high" but it is being lowered through "an intensive quality control program." In Cook County (where the state assumed responsibility last year) district offices have been replaced with new or remodeled offices; 400 caseworkers have been added.
CORRECTIONS: Pay of correctional officers has been increased 22 per cent; almost half of the guards have gone through the new guard training academy; prisons are more habitable with over two-thirds of the prisoners in one man cells and the cells equipped with hot and cold running water, lights to read by, and electric outlets for radios.
CONSERVATION: Emphasis is on "opening up new recreational areas on existing land." There is a merit system for park rangers and police.
CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES: Most of the children who were in out-of-state facilities have been returned to Illinois. Payments to private care facilities have been increased to "100 per cent of legitimate cost."
PUBLIC HEALTH: More local public health departments have been established.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION:
The "arrogance and conflict" has been replaced by "cooperation and service."
AGRICULTURE: "The hot-fine ... to see that farmers out of fertilizer and fuel get * help, is well known around the State." _
INSURANCE: "Insurance advertisements are monitored. A buyers' guide to automobile insurance has been published." No policyholder was penalized by the Equity? Funding case.
RACING: The board "has made great strides toward cleaning up that scandal ridden sport."
FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES: A contract compliance program has been launched "to insure equal employment practices by firms doing business with the State.
The mistakes
CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES: "We moved too fast in changing the policies and administrative structure" of the department.
MENTAL HEALTH: "We were slow in recognizing legitimate concerns and needs of community mental health agencies."
FACTORY INSPECTION: "We kept [it] at the state level despite urgings from both business and labor that the federal program would be better."
STATE FAIR: "We did not install need ed business management controls."
Collection Agency Act
Rules and regulations for the enforcement of the Illinois Collection Agency Act(Public Act.78-1248) were filed with the Secretary State by Ronald E. Stackler, director Department of Registration and Educating which will administer the new law (2/2/75)
The rules forbid harassment of a debtor Harassment is defined as contacting or attempting to contact a debtor by mail telephone, etc., either at the residence or place of employment more often than once in seven days or doing so earlier than or after 8 p.m. ž
156/Illinois Issues/May 1975