Selected State Reports

State Documents
• "An overview of Legislation in the 1977 Session of the Illinois General Assembly," file no. 8-795, Illinois Legislative Council (July 1977), 38pp.

This report summarizes noteworthy legislation passed in the first session of the 80th General Assembly (January-July 1977). Bills are categorized within 16 substantive areas. "The principal concern before this session of the legislature was the matter of state finance. There was a precarious balance between estimated revenues and demands for increased expenditures, particularly in the field of elementary and secondary education. The legislature was also acutely conscious of strong public opposition to any new taxes or tax increases. Consequently, much of the session was pre-occupied with appropriating funds within the constraints of the budget proposed by the governor. The fiscal balance was successfully met and a tax increase averted."

Mental Health 77 ... A System in Transition, annual report 1976-77, Illinois Commission on Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, 141pp.

Included are in-progress reports on three commission priority areas: planning and inter-agency coordination; Mental Health Code revision; and options in developing comprehensive services for mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse.

Illinois Automobile Insurance Rate Study, Illinois Department of Insurance (May 1977), 36pp.

A comparison of automobile insurance rates in Illinois and other states, this study shows that "on balance the automobile insurance rates being charged in Illinois by the 15 companies surveyed, in general, are not out of line with rates charged by these same companies in other states."

Lake Michigan Water Quality Report 1976, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (April 1977), 47pp.

A summary of Lake Michigan water quality data colleced by the IEPA during 1976, this report shows that most measures were satisfactory. Ammonia and phosphorus, however, did not remain within standards — in part because of past and current wastewater discharges. The most serious quality problem is excessive levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in certain fish found in the lake. "High PCB levels are likely to continue for many years due to the extreme resistance of PCB material to degradation and because of present accumulations in lake sediments and fish."

Items listed under State Documents have been received by the Documents Unit, Illinois State Library, Springfield, and are usually available from public libraries in the state through interlibrary loan./S.C.

6/ December 1977/ Illinois Issues


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