BILL ANALYSIS
Bill No: AB
394
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Senator Roderick D. Wright, Chair
2009-2010 Regular Session
Staff Analysis
AB 394 Author: Fuentes
As Amended: April 13, 2009
Hearing Date: July 8, 2009
Consultant: Chris Lindstrom
SUBJECT
Census.
DESCRIPTION
AB 394 requires the Governor to appoint a task force to
make recommendations on how to maximize the number of
Californians counted in the 2010 census and to implement a
census outreach program, taking into account the successes
and problems with the 2000 California Complete Count
Campaign.
EXISTING LAW
Existing federal law, pursuant to the United States
Constitution, requires a census of the United States
population to be taken once every 10 years.
BACKGROUND
Purpose of the bill. According to the author's office,
"The 2010 Census represents a once-a-decade chance for
California to conduct a complete count of its citizens.
Census results dictate federal representation, federal and
state funding formulas, and state redistricting changes.
We need to ensure that California does everything it can to
enact an accurate count, building on our previous successes
and acknowledging the challenges that are still present."
AB 394 (Fuentes) continued
Page 2
2010 California Complete Count Committee. On June 12,
2009, Governor Schwarzenegger issued Executive Order
D-10-09, establishing the California Complete Count
Committee to ensure a complete count for the 2010 Census.
The Committee will serve without compensation and at the
pleasure of the Governor.
In the order, the Governor directs the Committee to
"develop, recommend, and assist in the administration of, a
census outreach strategy to encourage full participation in
the 2010 federal decennial census of population" as
required by federal law. The census strategy shall
include, but not be limited to, State agency initiatives to
encourage participation in the 2010 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
California's population.
The order requires the Committee submit an interim report
to the Governor by November 30, 2009, containing its
recommended outreach strategy to encourage full
participation and avoid an undercount in the 2010 Census.
The Order requires the Committee to submit supplemental
quarterly reports and a final report to the Governor no
later than June 30, 2011, specifying actual outreach
efforts and results which were implemented for the 2010
Census.
In carrying out its duties, the order authorizes the
Committee to appoint working groups as it deems
appropriate, and to solicit participation from relevant
experts and practitioners involved in census issues.
The order provides that the California Complete Count
effort will be coordinated out of the Governor's Office of
Planning and Research (OPR), which is directed to enlist
all State agencies and departments within the
administration to identify effective methods of outreach to
Californians, and to provide resources to ensure the
outreach program is successful and that all Californians
are counted. Each agency and department within the
administration is directed to inform OPR of their
designated census coordinator for purposes of this
California Complete Count effort. All agencies and
AB 394 (Fuentes) continued
Page 3
departments within the administration are directed to
cooperate with the Committee and provide support to the
Committee.
Further, the order requests other entities of state
government outside of the Governor's administration,
including other constitutional offices, the offices of the
legislative and judicial branches, and local agencies, to
cooperate fully and provide support to the Committee.
In the Governor's press release announcing the creation of
the California Complete Count Committee, the Governor said,
"The Census determines how the distribution of more than
$300 billion in federal funds goes to local, state and
tribal governments each year in California. We must reach
out to all Californians across the state to make certain
everyone is counted so that California gets its fair share
of federal dollars and representation in congress."
2000 California Complete Count Committee. On November 4,
1999, Governor Davis issued Executive Order D-11-99,
establishing the California Complete Count Committee
(Committee). In the order, the Governor directed the
Committee to "develop, recommend and assist in the
administration of an outreach strategy to encourage full
participation in the 2000 federal decennial census of
population." The order required the outreach strategy to
include "[s]tate agency initiatives to encourage
participation in the 2000 Census, the establishment and
support of county complete count committees as well as
school-based outreach programs, the creation and operation
of non-profit Questionnaire Assistance Centers, and a media
campaign designed to ensure an accurate and complete count
of California's population." The Legislature appropriated
approximately $25 million for these activities, making
California the only state in the nation to approve a census
outreach program of this magnitude.
Like the U.S. Census Bureau's paid advertisements, the
campaign's main focus was to encourage people to send in
their form by mail. However, the campaign targeted
undercounted groups in specific local areas in California.
For people who needed help filling out the form, the
campaign funded questionnaire assistance centers and
publicized their locations. These state-funded centers
were resources available to people in addition to the
AB 394 (Fuentes) continued
Page 4
questionnaire assistance centers operated by the U.S.
Census Bureau. During the period of non-response
follow-up, the campaign message was to encourage people to
cooperate and "open your door" to U.S. Census Bureau
enumerators.
In California, the mail response rate rose from 65 percent
in the 1990 Census to 70 percent in Census 2000.
California's 70 percent response was also significantly
higher than the rates obtained in other large states:
Texas's Census 2000 response rate was 64 percent; Florida
and New York's rates were both 63 percent.
Budgeting for the 2010 Census. The 2008-09 Budget Act
contained a $1 million appropriation to OPR for the Count
Every Californian Effort, aimed at ensuring California is
fully and accurately represented in the 2010 census and
receives all of the federal funds and Congressional
representatives to which it is entitled. OPR has since
formed a state agency working group to identify outreach
efforts using existing state agency resources. According
to OPR, although the Governor has not yet appointed a
California Complete Count Committee to work with the U.S.
Census Bureau for the 2010 Census, such a committee is in
the process of being formed.
PRIOR/RELATED LEGISLATION
ACR 44 (Fuentes), Resolution Chapter 12, Statutes of 2009 .
Declared April 1, 2009 to be California Census Awareness
Day, to promote awareness of the upcoming federal decennial
census in order to advance the goal of a complete and
accurate count of all Californians.
ACR 13 (Fuentes), 2009-2010 Legislative Session .
Recognizes April 10, 2010 as the United States Census Day
and urges the Governor to act immediately to commence
planning for outreach efforts for the 2010 decennial census
so as to achieve a complete count of all Californians. (In
Assembly Governmental Organization Committee)
AB 2314 (Fuentes), 2007-2008 Legislative Session .
Identical to AB 394 of 2009. (Never heard in Assembly
Governmental Organization Committee)
ACR 123 (Fuentes), 2007-2008 Legislative Session . Would
AB 394 (Fuentes) continued
Page 5
have urged the Governor to act immediately to commence
planning for outreach efforts for the 2010 decennial census
so as to achieve a complete count of all Californians.
(Held in Senate Appropriations Committee)
SB 711 (Burton), Chapter 86, Statutes of 1999 . Among other
things, requested the Governor to appoint a task force to
make recommendations on how to maximize the number of
California's counted in the 2000 census and to implement a
census outreach program, among other provisions.
AB 1660 (Shelley), Chapter 85, Statutes of 1999 . Among
other things, established the California Complete Count
Committee.
SUPPORT: As of July 6, 2009:
City of Los Angeles
OPPOSE: None on file as of July 6, 2009.
FISCAL COMMITTEE: Senate Appropriations Committee
**********