SJ0029 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0029 LRB099 12593 GRL 36161 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Constitution of the United States requires an enumeration of the population every 10 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 the first day of April in 2020; and

WHEREAS, A complete and accurate count of Illinois' population is essential to the State because the census count determines congressional representation, state redistricting, federal grant formula allocation, and the distribution of state subvention funds for an entire decade until the next decennial census is taken; and

WHEREAS, There are over 70 federal programs benefiting Illinois that use census enumeration and population numbers as part of their funding formulas, including formulas for education, health, and human services programs; and

WHEREAS, The United States Census Bureau will endeavor to count every person in the nation, and many states will be initiating programs to promote the census; and

WHEREAS, It is vitally important for Illinois to do everything it can to ensure that every Illinoisan is counted in the 2020 United States Census; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Illinois Complete Count Commission is hereby established; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission shall consist of the following members:

(1) the President of the Senate or his designee;

(2) the Speaker of the House of Representatives or his designee;

(3) the Minority Leader of the Senate or her designee;

(4) the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives or his designee;

(5) the Mayor of Chicago or his designee;

(6) the Governor of Illinois or his designee;

(7) the President of the Cook County Board or her designee;

(8) a representative of the Illinois Municipal League appointed by the Governor;

(9) a representative of the Illinois Association of County Board Members and Commissioners appointed by the Governor;

(10) a representative of the Chicago Urban League jointly appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(11) a representative of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund jointly appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(12) a representative of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce jointly appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(13) a representative of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce appointed by the Governor;

(14) a representative of the Chicago Chamber of Commerce jointly appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(15) a representative of the Black Chamber of Commerce jointly appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and

(16) one representative each appointed by the President of the Senate or his or her designee, the Speaker of the House of Representatives or his or her designee, the Minority Leader of the Senate or his or her designee, and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives or his or her designee; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Governor of Illinois and Mayor of Chicago shall serve as co-chairpersons of the Commission; the Commission shall meet at the call of the chair or any 10 members of the Commission; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission will develop, recommend, and assist in the administration of a census outreach strategy to encourage full participation in the 2020 federal decennial census of population required by Section 141 of Title 13 of the United States Code; and be it further

RESOLVED, That 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 non-profit community-based organizations, and a multi-lingual, multi-media campaign designed to ensure an accurate and complete count of Illinois' population; and be it further

RESOLVED, That, in carrying out its duties, the Commission may 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 the Illinois Complete Count effort will be coordinated out of the Office of the Governor and the Office of the Mayor of Chicago, which shall enlist all State and City of Chicago agencies and departments directly responsible to the Governor or the Mayor of Chicago, as the case may be, to identify effective methods of outreach to Illinoisans and to provide resources to ensure the outreach program is successful and that all Illinoisans are counted; each agency and department shall inform the Office of the Governor or Office of the Mayor of Chicago, as the case may be, of their designated census coordinator for purposes of this effort; all agencies and departments shall cooperate with the Commission and provide support to the Commission; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Commission shall submit an interim report to the General Assembly by November 30, 2016, containing its recommended outreach strategy to encourage full participation and to avoid an undercount in the 2020 Census; thereafter, the Commission shall submit its final report to the General Assembly no later than November 30, 2017, specifying its recommended outreach strategy for implementation for the 2020 Census; and be it further

RESOLVED, That other entities of State government not directly responsible to the Governor, including other constitutional officers, the offices of the legislative and judicial branches, and units of local government shall cooperate and provide all reasonable assistance to the Commission.