Bill Text: CA SR81 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relative to the 2020 Census.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Passed) 2020-06-11 - Read. Adopted. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 3687.) [SR81 Detail]
Download: California-2019-SR81-Enrolled.html
|
Enrolled
June 16, 2020 |
|
Passed
IN
Senate
June 11, 2020 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Resolution
No. 81
| Introduced by Senators Umberg and Pan (Coauthors: Senators Atkins and Hueso) |
March 10, 2020 |
Relative to the 2020 Census.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SR 81, Umberg.
Digest Key
Bill Text
WHEREAS, The United States Census Bureau is required by Congress, pursuant to its authority under Section 2 of Article I of the United States Constitution, to conduct an accurate count of the population every 10 years; and
WHEREAS, The next enumeration is scheduled to commence March 12, 2020, and will be the first to rely heavily on online self-responses; and
WHEREAS, The primary and perpetual challenge facing the United States Census Bureau is the historic undercount of certain population groups; and
WHEREAS, That challenge is amplified in California, given the size of the state and the diversity of communities; and
WHEREAS, These communities and populations are at risk of being undercounted in the 2020 Decennial Census because they possess characteristics or live in regions that make them hard to count; and
WHEREAS, Many in the Golden State lack access to the internet, which presents great challenges to online census participation; and
WHEREAS, A complete and accurate count of California’s population is essential; and
WHEREAS, The data collected by the decennial census determines the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives and is used to distribute billions of dollars in federal funds to state and local governments; and
WHEREAS, Census data is also used in the redistricting of state legislatures, county boards of supervisors, and city councils; and
WHEREAS, California’s leaders have dedicated a historic amount of funding and resources to ensure the hardest-to-count Californians are reached; and
WHEREAS, This commitment of resources directly supports trusted messengers—tribal, city, county, and state governments, community-based organizations, educational institutions, and many more organizations; and
WHEREAS, The United States Census Bureau faces several challenges with the 2020 Decennial Census, including rapidly changing use of technology, declining response rates, an increasingly diverse and mobile population, and vast misinformation; and
WHEREAS, California has been coordinating outreach and engagement efforts since 2018 by establishing the California Complete Count Committee and the California Complete Count - Census 2020 Office; and
WHEREAS, The Legislature, in partnership with the California Complete Count - Census 2020 Office, the Secretary of State, and other local and state governmental agencies, is committed to robust outreach and communication strategies, focusing on reaching the hardest-to-count individuals; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the Senate recognizes the importance of the 2020 Decennial Census and supports helping to ensure a complete, fair, and accurate count of all Californians; and be it further
Resolved, That the week of March 30, 2020, to April 5, 2020, inclusive, is recognized as Census 2020 Week in California; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
