Establishes the office of census counts and provides for its powers and duties and the New York state census counts commission and provides for its powers and…

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

• Democratic33
• Republican1

This bill has cosponsors from more than one party.

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Jeremy Cooney says this is needed

Legislative intent: 1. It is the intent of the legislature to ensure that all New Yorkers have information access and knowledge about accurate, timely information about the United States government census and that all New Yorkers have the opportunity to participate in the census freely and without fear of fraud, intimidation, or harm. 2. New York State's future depends on accurate census data. The census provides critical and timely information and data to help inform busi- nesses, educators, governments, faith-based communities, nonprofit organizations, foundations, researchers, and the public about the state's demographic features, where people live, and how they live. Accurate, ongoing, and consistent census data helps provide for sound and objective policy decisions, allocates resources, helps target investments, and evaluates programs for a healthier economy, communi- ties, and better living. From congressional representation in Washing- ton, D.C. to billions of dollars in federal funding, the census matters. 3. New York must address the loss of population that has resulted in the loss of congressional representation after each federal decennial census since 1950. While the state had 45 members of Congress after the 1940 census, the loss after each subsequent decennial census now leaves the state with only 26 members of Congress. Current projections suggest New York losing at least two seats after the 2030 census. State government, working with key stakeholders, has an obligation to step in and help stem future losses. By ensuring a fair and complete decennial census, New York State can address this challenge. 4. By expanding partnerships between the Census Bureau, state and local community leaders, community-based organizations, education, business, labor, philanthropies, and stakeholders, New York State cannot only help develop accurate census counts through the decennial census, American Community Survey, the Local Update of Census Addresses program, and other census data reports, but help avoid the undercounts that have hurt the state in past decades by directing resources to improve population counts in communities that have been historically undercounted. Key elements of this strategy include: a. making awareness of the census part of the state's civic culture, integrating census data usage into schools, business, social, good government, economic planning, and other venues where census data helps drive decision-making; b. providing educational efforts to community activists, industry lead- ers, constituents, and the public to increase awareness, support, and participation in an accurate census. Better knowledge of and use of census data helps informed decision-making in all sectors and helps drive stronger economic improvement strategies and improves and benefits all New Yorkers; c. promoting the American Community Survey that is taken every year and provides data about local communities annually, providing an excellent source of local information for social and economic planning purposes; d. helping to coordinate, plan for, and fund Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) type efforts on an annual basis to ensure that LUCA submissions are strong across the state so that we are not missing households in census counting efforts; e. evaluating hard-to-count communities to develop better outreach/education strategies; f. inventorying resources within all levels of government and academic/private sectors to "hit the ground running" leading up to the 2030 and future censuses; and g. development of a grant program to support local governments and community-based organizations, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations to insure a complete 2030 decennial count and for subse- quent decades. 5. New York State needs a comprehensive coordinated census effort unlike past decades where state government efforts were insufficient. Updated strategies and approaches should focus on census data analysis, accurate address l

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.