The New Year rings out with the old and in with the new, except for the Illinois legislature. They just amend 1988 in, sometime around midnight. Among the new laws that go into effect January 1 (unless otherwise stated) are:

Although the Department of Public Health is targeting "homosexuals, intravenous drug users, blacks and Hispanics" as the high-risk group for AIDS, lawmakers have added corpses to that list. The body of a dead person who is suspected of having an infectious or communicable disease that could be transmitted through contact with the body or bodily fluids shall be prominently labeled an "Infection Hazard."

Source: S.B. 771 (P.A. 85-682).

A smokeless tobacco means any processed or whole leaf tobacco "that is intended to be placed in the oral cavity." It will be illegal to sell it, or distribute it as a free sample, to persons under 18. And if you think that isn't coming down hard enough on the health hazards of chewing tobacco, outdoor billboard advertising shall bear one of three health warning statements, not unlike the large, bold-faced warnings which appear on billboard advertising for smoking tobacco. Warnings range from "not a safe alternative" to "may cause mouth cancer."

Sources: H.B. 1726 (P.A. 85-465)and H.B.975 (P.A. 85-518).

The Cannabis and Controlled Substances Tax Act requires that drug dealers affix tax stamps to packages in their possession. Illegal drugs must display "official stamps, official labels, or other official indicia, " the law says. Stamps cost $5 for a gram of cannabis, $250 for a gram of controlled substances and $2,000 for 50 units of a controlled substance not sold by weight. For those who deal in large quantities the tax is substantial. It figures out to $2,300 per pound for cannabis and $115,000 a pound for other controlled substances. The penalties are stiff, too: "Any dealer violating this Act is subject to a penalty of four times the amount of the tax in addition to the tax imposed by this Act." The lesson: Crime does not pay — except to the Department of Revenue.

Source: SB. 1154 (P.A. 85-663).

Legislators want the State Board of Education to know. Before the end of March, the board will receive annual information concerning "all education, training or intern programs, grants, loans or other services" for adult citizens. The agencies affected are: departments of Corrections, Public Aid, Commerce and Community Affairs, Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, Rehabilitation Services, and Public Health; Secretary of the State, Illinois Community College Board and the Administrative Office of the Illinois Court. If one of these agencies has no such "education or training services," the report will state so, which may prove to be the primary educational lesson here.

Source: H.B. 1748 (P.A. 85-807).

An Illinois not-for-profit organization may petition for temporary possession of certain abandoned properties for use as rental property to qualified persons and families if the property or building is a "nuisance" to the community. It is not specified what remedy will be taken if a not-for-profit organization becomes a nuisance.

Source: S.B. 1428 (P.A. 85-862).

The Department of Transportation will study "rail transportation passenger service in Illinois" and report to the General Assembly and its transportation committees within one year; furthermore, it creates an advisory task force to consult with the department. At what cost to the state? "Members shall receive no compensation but may be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties." While this will cover passenger ticket costs, how about refreshments? It seems less costly to just ask the riders. In fact, I am a rail transportation passenger. My recommendations for improving rail travel quality? A spiked eggnog toast on the holidays, a Babycham toast on New Year's Eve and 25-cent draft beers on all Amtrak trains.

Source: H.B. 1801 (P.A. 85472).

The new year brings new laws. And the new laws will join the old in chapters, paragraphs, sections and subsections. By a single vote the House sustained the gubernatorial veto of a bill that would have made the numbering and classification system of state laws the property of the state. West Publishing Co., St. Paul, Minn., will continue to claim the exclusive right to publish the Illinois Revised Statutes with its unique numbering system. Happy New Year.

The general funds end-of-month balance for October was $86,318 million. The average daily available balance was $99,697 million.

Source: Office of the State Comptroller.

The national seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 6.0 percent in October from 5.9 percent in September. The Illinois rate was 6.6 percent in October, up from September's rate of 6.4 percent.

For the fifth month in a row a record number of Illinoisans held jobs. There were 5.828 million workers in the state's civilian labor force, and a record 5.446 million of them had jobs. But unemployment rose to 382,000 as previously discouraged workers began to seek employment.

The holiday surge in retail trade helped set the new employment record as did settlement of the Chicago strike, which brought back transportation and food workers. (Striking teachers were not counted as unemployed.) Outdoor construction and recreation jobs had seasonal declines.

Final August unemployment rates in the state's metro areas were:
Aurora-Elgin. 4.7 percent.
Bloomington-Normal, 4.2 percent.
Champaign-Urbana-Rantoul. 4.1 percent.
Chicago, 6.3 percent.
Davenport, Rock Island, Moline (Illinois sector), 7.9 percent.
Decatur, 9.1 percent.
Joliet, 6.8 percent.
Kankakee, 8.4 percent.
Lake County, 4.1 percent.
Peoria, 7.2 percent.
Rockford, 8.9 percent.
Springfield, 4.6 percent.
St. Louis (Illinois sector), 8.5 percent.

Source: Department of Employment Security.