As the spring General Assembly session wound to a conclusion, reporters watched a host of lobby groups rally in vain for their causes at the Capitol. Welfare recipients urged an increase in basic grant levels. Public employees wanted to prevent layoffs. Teachers sought more money for schools. Not so evident was the press lobby, which got much of what it wanted.

On behalf of its 600-member daily and weekly newspapers, the Illinois Press Association (IPA) was successful in two of its three top issues. Legislation passed to raise minimum rates that governments must pay newspapers for printing public notices, and the IPA was successful in stopping, for now, a libel bill it strongly opposes. It failed, however, to get an amendment passed to the Freedom of Information Act. ''It was a pretty good year, a really good year," said Beth Johnson, IPA's government affairs liaison.

Awaiting the governor's signature as of August 25 is the bill (S.B. 360), sponsored by Sen. Richard Luft (D-46, Pekin) that increases minimum publishing rates for delinquent tax bills and assessment notices. The increases, from 25 to 250 percent for an assortment of notices, will bring more money to newspapers. The IPA says that the increases will most help newspapers in competitive areas where printing public notices becomes a bidding war.

The IPA's other victory was the defeat of an alternative to libel remedies, the so-called "restoration of reputation." Instead of filing a libel action for damages, the person alleging libel by a newspaper could go to court to seek a printed correction of the false statements. The court would rule on the truth or falsity of the statements. Instead of cash damages a successful plaintiff would have a statement published in a newspaper clearing his or her reputation Critics of the bill (H.B. 590), sponsored by Rep. Tim Johnson (R-104, Urbana) claimed it would result in suing for an apology and increase the number of court cases.

During debate, Johnson claimed that "it's fair, it's just, it's long overdue." The measure sailed through the House, but it stalled in the Senate under pressure of the IPA. The lobby convinced Johnson to stop pushing the bill this session. Johnson and his allies will hold at least two hearings, one in Chicago and one downstate, during the summer and early fall. The hearings will explore alternatives and modifications to the bill, and the IPA plans to participate. According to Beth Johnson, "the IPA intends to testify and present options to what was in 590."

Amending the Freedom of Information Act was a goal of the IPA, Common Cause and the American Civil Liberties Union, the groups which had worked to create the act. Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D-26, Chicago) offered H.B. 2569 to clean up flaws in the three-year-old act. One is the high cost of enforcing it. Currie says the cost of lawyer's fees incurred by those using the act is seldom recovered. Currie also believes some material currently exempted from the act, such as architect's plans, need not be. And she would like clarified the reasons that information can be denied.

Currie says the effort stalled because her bill was introduced late and because of language problems. She has not given up. She hopes to work on the bill over the summer and revive it either in the fall or next spring.

One other issue that was settled this year for the press was jury duty exemption for newspaper employees. After stubborn opposition last year against the repeal of last automatic exemption, the IPA gave in. With IPA support, bills passed each house to eliminate the exemption. If Thompson signs H.B. 1, then journalists like everyone else will be subject to jury service except in cases of undue hardship.

Deborah L. Gertz