By: Strama, Anchia (Senate Sponsor - Van de Putte)	H.B. No. 3255
	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 27, 2011;
	May 4, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on State
	Affairs; May 9, 2011, reported favorably by the following vote:
	Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 9, 2011, sent to printer.)

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the creation of guidelines for the Office of the State
	Demographer to encourage the inclusion of a broad variety of
	racial/ethnic groups in estimates and projections.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 468.004, Government Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	Sec. 468.004.  POWERS AND DUTIES. The state demographer
	shall:
	(1)  disseminate demographic and related socioeconomic
	data to the public, with emphasis on data that may be useful to
	public policymakers;
	(2)  provide annual population estimates for all
	counties and municipalities in the state;
	(3)  provide biennial population projections for the
	state and all counties of the state;
	(4)  adhere to current standards of practice when
	determining which racial/ethnic groups to include in estimates and
	projections;
	(5)  provide information by request which justifies the
	omission of any particular racial/ethnic group from estimates and
	projections, including limitations of data and methodology;
	(6) [(4)]  provide information to the legislature
	relating to the impact that demographic and socioeconomic changes
	in the population of the state have on the demand for state
	services; and
	(7) [(5)]  evaluate the type and quality of data needed
	to:
	(A)  adequately monitor demographic and
	socioeconomic changes in the population of the state; and
	(B)  assess the effectiveness of delivery of state
	services.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
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