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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to efforts to encourage full participation in the 2020 |
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federal decennial census by the residents of this state, including |
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the establishment of the Complete Count Commission. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the Every |
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Texan Counts Act. |
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SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Complete Count Commission |
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created by this Act. |
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(2) "Local government" means a municipality or county. |
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(3) "Member" means a member of the commission. |
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(4) "State agency" means a board, commission, |
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department, office, or other agency that is in the executive branch |
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of state government and was created by the constitution or a statute |
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of this state. |
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SECTION 3. COMMISSION. (a) The commission is composed of |
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the following members: |
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(1) seven persons appointed by the governor; |
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(2) one person appointed by the governor from a list |
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submitted by the speaker of the house of representatives; |
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(3) one person appointed by the lieutenant governor; |
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(4) one person from each of the 10 most populous |
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counties in this state, nominated by the county's respective county |
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judge; |
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(5) seven members from business, faith, and nonprofit |
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community-based organizations, appointed by the governor, to |
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represent the demographic, economic, and linguistic diversity of |
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this state; |
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(6) five members appointed by the secretary of state |
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to represent traditionally hard-to-count populations, three of |
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whom must be from counties located on the Texas-Mexico border; |
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(7) if a local government has created a local complete |
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count commission, members designated by the local commission; and |
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(8) the secretary of state, who serves as the chair of |
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the commission. |
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(b) A member serves at the pleasure of the member's |
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appointing official and vacancies shall be filled in the same |
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manner as the initial appointment. The commission shall meet not |
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later than the 30th day after the date initial appointments are made |
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under Subsections (a)(1)-(6) of this section. The commission shall |
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meet regularly as necessary at the call of the chair. |
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(c) A member may not receive compensation for service on the |
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commission, but is entitled to reimbursement for actual and |
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necessary expenses incurred in performing commission duties. The |
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commission may accept gifts, grants, and donations to pay for those |
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expenses. |
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(d) The commission may employ a director and assistant |
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director on a two-thirds vote of the full membership of the |
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commission. The director and assistant director may be compensated |
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from money appropriated or available for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. CENSUS OUTREACH STRATEGY. (a) The commission |
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shall develop, recommend, and assist in the administration of a |
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census outreach strategy to encourage full participation in the |
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2020 federal decennial census of population required by 13 U.S.C. |
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Section 141. |
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(b) The census outreach strategy must include: |
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(1) state agency initiatives to encourage |
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participation in the 2020 federal decennial census; |
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(2) the establishment and support of school-based |
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outreach programs; |
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(3) partnerships with nonprofit community-based |
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organizations; and |
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(4) a multilingual, multimedia campaign designed to |
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ensure an accurate and complete count of this state's population. |
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(c) To assist in carrying out its duties, the commission may |
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create and appoint subcommittees as appropriate and shall solicit |
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participation from relevant experts and practitioners involved in |
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census issues. |
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(d) The secretary of state shall: |
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(1) coordinate the census outreach strategy; |
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(2) provide administrative support to the commission; |
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and |
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(3) coordinate with all state agencies and |
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constitutional officers, as well as local governments, to identify |
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effective methods of outreach to residents of this state and to |
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provide resources to ensure the outreach program is successful and |
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that all residents of this state are counted. |
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(e) A state agency shall inform the secretary of state of |
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the agency's designated census coordinator and cooperate with and |
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provide support to the commission. Other state governmental |
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entities and local governments shall cooperate and provide all |
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reasonable assistance to the commission. |
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(f) Not later than December 31, 2019, the commission shall |
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submit a written report to the governor, lieutenant governor, |
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speaker of the house of representatives, and members of the |
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legislature with its recommendations and findings, including a |
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recommended outreach strategy for implementation for the 2020 |
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federal decennial census. |
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SECTION 5. GRANT PROGRAM. (a) Using available funds or |
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private donations, the governor shall establish and administer a |
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grant program to award grants to local governments for their |
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outreach efforts to encourage full participation in the 2020 |
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federal decennial census of population required by 13 U.S.C. |
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Section 141. |
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(b) The governor shall adopt rules to implement and |
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administer the grant program created under this section, including |
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rules regarding applications by and eligibility of local |
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governments for grants under the program. Eligibility rules must |
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prioritize a local government that has: |
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(1) established census outreach efforts; and |
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(2) census tracts with traditionally hard-to-count |
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populations within its boundaries. |
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(c) The governor may accept gifts, grants, and donations for |
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the grant program created under this section. |
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SECTION 6. INITIAL APPOINTMENTS. As soon as practicable |
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after the effective date of this Act, the appointing officials |
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shall appoint members to the commission as provided by Section 3(a) |
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of this Act. |
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SECTION 7. ABOLISHMENT AND EXPIRATION. The commission and |
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the grant program created under this Act are abolished and this Act |
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expires on September 1, 2021. |
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SECTION 8. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |