2018 -- S 2973

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LC005897

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO BE KNOWN AS THE "RHODE

ISLAND COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE"

     Introduced By: Senator Sandra Cano

     Date Introduced: June 14, 2018

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     WHEREAS, Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution requires an

enumeration of the population every ten years to apportion congressional representation among

the states; and

     WHEREAS, Pursuant to Section 141 of Title 13 of the United States Code, the next

federal decennial census of the population will be taken on April 1, 2020; and

     WHEREAS, A complete and accurate count of Rhode Island’s population is essential to

the state, because the census count determines congressional representation, state redistricting,

and federal formula grant allocations for an entire decade until the next decennial census is taken;

and

     WHEREAS, It is vitally important for Rhode Island to do everything it can to ensure that

every Rhode Islander is counted in the upcoming census; and

     WHEREAS, A complete count committee, using local knowledge and expertise will

develop and coordinate a census outreach program to increase awareness about the census and

motivate residents in the community to respond; now therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission to be known as "The Rhode Island

Complete Count Committee" be and the same is hereby created consisting of thirty-one (31)

members: one of whom shall be the Governor of the State of Rhode Island, or designee; one of

whom shall be appointed by the Governor of the State of Rhode Island; one of whom shall be the

President of the Senate, or designee; one of whom shall be the Speaker of the House of

Representatives, or designee; one of whom shall be the Minority Leader of the Senate, or

designee; one of whom shall be the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, or

designee; one of whom shall be the Rhode Island Secretary of State, or designee; one of whom

shall be the Chief of Library Services for the State of Rhode Island, or designee; one of whom

shall be the Associate Director of the Division of Statewide Planning, or designee; five (5) of

whom shall be individuals representing units of local government, one from a community greater

than one hundred thousand (100,000) in population, one from a community between fifty

thousand (50,000) and one hundred thousand (100,000) in population, two (2) from communities

between ten thousand (10,000) and fifty thousand (50,000) in population, and one from a

community less than ten thousand (10,000) in population, with due consideration given to

geographic diversity within the state, to be appointed by the Governor; one of whom shall be the

Executive Director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, or designee; five (5) of

whom shall be representatives of different organizations representing the interests of hard-to-

count populations in the state, to be appointed by the Governor; one of whom shall be a member

of a federally recognized tribe located in the state, to be appointed by the Governor; two (2) of

whom shall be individuals representing the interests of business in the state, including one

organization representing minority business interests, to be appointed by the Governor; two (2) of

whom shall be individuals representing educational interests, including elementary and secondary

and higher education in the state, to be appointed by the Governor; two (2) of whom shall be

individuals representing faith communities in the state, to be appointed by the Governor; one of

whom shall be an individual representing youth in the state, to be appointed by the Governor; one

of whom shall be an individual representing the philanthropic community in the state, to be

appointed by the Governor; one of whom shall be an individual representing the health care

community in the state, to be appointed by the Governor; and one of whom shall be an individual

representing senior citizens in the state, to be appointed by the Governor.

     The Governor, or designee, shall serve as a co-chairperson of the committee and the

Governor’s appointee shall serve as a co-chairperson of the committee. The committee shall meet

at the call of either co-chair or upon request of any ten (10) members of the committee.

     The purpose of The Rhode Island Complete Count Committee shall be to develop,

recommend, and assist in the administration of a census outreach strategy to encourage full

participation in the 2020 federal decennial census of population.

     The census outreach strategy shall include, but not be limited to, state agency initiatives

to encourage participation in the 2020 Census, the establishment and support of school-based

outreach programs, partnerships with nonprofit community-based organizations, and a multi-

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lingual, multi-media campaign designed to ensure an accurate and complete count of Rhode

Island’s population.

     The Committee shall collaborate and coordinate with the United States Bureau of the

Census and any other complete count committees established in the State of Rhode Island in

identifying and carrying out the state’s outreach strategy.

     The Rhode Island Complete Count Committee outreach strategy shall be coordinated

through the Office of the Governor which shall provide administrative support to the committee

and coordinate with all state agencies and constitutional officers, as well as units of local

government, to identify effective methods of outreach to Rhode Islanders and to provide

resources to ensure the outreach program is successful and that all Rhode Islanders are counted.

     To assist in carrying out its duties, the committee may create and appoint subcommittees

as it deems appropriate and shall solicit participation from relevant experts and practitioners

involved in census issues.

     Vacancies in said Committee shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

     The membership of said Committee shall receive no compensation for their services.

     All departments and agencies of the state and local government shall furnish such advice

and information, documentary and otherwise, to said committee and its agents as is deemed

necessary or desirable by the committee to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

suitable quarters for said committee; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Committee shall submit an interim report to the General Assembly

on or before January 15, 2019, containing its recommended outreach strategy to encourage full

participation and to avoid an undercount in the 2020 Census; thereafter, the Committee shall

submit its final report to the General Assembly not later than June 30, 2019, specifying its

recommended outreach strategy for implementation for the 2020 Census, and said Committee

shall expire on December 31, 2020.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO BE KNOWN AS THE "RHODE

ISLAND COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE"

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     This resolution would create a thirty-one (31) member special legislative commission to

be known as "The Rhode Island Complete Count Committee" whose purpose it would be to

develop, recommend, and assist in the administration of a census outreach strategy, and who

would make an interim report to the General Assembly by January 15, 2019, and its final report

by June 30, 2019, and said commission would expire on December 31, 2020.

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