Selected State Reports
State Documents
• "Auto Repair Abuses," a report by the Illinois Legislative Investigating Commission to the General Assembly (June 1975), 187 pp.
A compilation of consumer complaints, possible solutions, and the commission's conclusions and recommendations. The commission favored such reforms as mandatory written estimates and repair warranties. Licensing of mechanics, repair shops, and insurance appraisers — if deemed necessary to correct abuses — should be carried out by local units, not the state.
• "Illinois School Problems," Report of the School Problems Commission No. 13 (1975),93 pp.
Report contains recommendations of the commission, summaries of reports to the commission from its committees (special education funding, school bus safety, general finance, special education, and vocational education), and the commission's assessment of the operation of the Elementary and Secondary School Capital Assistance Program. In a lengthy chapter, commission staff members evaluate the success of commission sponsored reforms in the Distributive Fund part of the Common School Fund.
• "Illinois Water Pollution Control Program," a report by the Illinois Legislative Investigating Commission to the General Assembly (June 1975), 32 pp.
Report on the commission's investigation of the assignment of project priorities for disbursing funds by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. At issue is a claim by the Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago that IEPA formulas were biased against facilities in large metropolitan areas and that the MSD did not receive its fair share of funds.
• "The Joliet Correctional Center Riot of April 22, 1975," a report by the Illinois Legislative Investigating Commission to the General Assembly (June 1975), 48 pp.
A report of the commission's investigation of a riot and prisoner death at the Joliet Correctional Center on April 22, 1975, and its assessment of the subsequent transfer of the warden.
• "Seven Patient Deaths at Illinois Extended Care Center," a report of the Illinois Legislative Investigating Commission to the General Assembly (June 1975), 228 pp.
The commission notes that this is "its third investigation into the Illinois Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities' activities." The first two were investigations into patient deaths at state institutions; this report details the deaths of seven patients transferred from the Dixon State School to a private facility in Rockford. The commission cites inadequate administrative practices of three state departments and poor nursing care by the staff of the Extended Care Center.
Other
• Policy Issues, a newsletter from the Center for Governmental Studies, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb (first issue, summer 1975). A new quarterly newsletter dealing with "public issues of major importance to Illinois and particularly the 23- county Northern Illinois area. "The first issue features an article by Neil Snortland, "Revenue Sharing in Northern Illinois Counties." Available from the Center for Governmental Studies, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115.
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. Requests for copies should be sent to the issuing agency.
State agencies are encouraged to send significant studies to the Institute of Government and Public Affairs for inclusion in the bibliography. Address items to the Institute, 1201 W. Nevada St., Urbana, Ill.61801.
Library has engrossed bills
January 1976 / Illinois Issues / 23