2018 -- S 3002

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LC005991

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO CREATE A "RHODE ISLAND

COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE" TO DEVELOP, RECOMMEND, AND ASSIST IN THE

ADMINISTRATION OF A CENSUS OUTREACH STRATEGY TO ENCOURAGE FULL

PARTICIPATION IN THE 2020 CENSUS

     Introduced By: Senator Sandra Cano

     Date Introduced: June 22, 2018

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     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 this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby respectfully requests the Governor of the State of Rhode Island to create a "Rhode Island

Complete Count Committee"; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the membership of said committee should include 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; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Governor, or designee, should serve as a co-chairperson of the

committee and the Governor’s appointee should serve as a co-chairperson of the committee. The

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

the committee; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Committee would develop, recommend, and assist in the

administration of a census outreach strategy to encourage full participation in the 2020 federal

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decennial census of population. The census outreach strategy would 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-lingual, multi-media campaign designed to ensure an accurate and

complete count of Rhode Island’s population; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Committee would 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 Committee's

outreach strategy would be coordinated through the Office of the Governor which would 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; and be it further

     RESOLVED, To assist in carrying out its duties, the committee would create and appoint

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

practitioners involved in census issues; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby requests that the Committee 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; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Honorable Gina Raimondo, Governor of the

State of Rhode Island.

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