PRINTER'S NO. 2045

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

1721

Session of

2023

INTRODUCED BY GROVE, MARCELL, JAMES, FLICK, STAATS AND KAUFFMAN,

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Title 71 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated

Statutes is amended by adding a chapter to read:

Sec.

4301. Definitions.

4302. Pennsylvania Census Commission.

4303. Report on census activities.

§ 4301. Definitions.

(a) Establishment.--The Pennsylvania Census Commission is

established within the Joint State Government Commission.

(b) Membership.--The commission shall be comprised of the

following members:

(1) The Governor or a designee.

(2) The Secretary of Agriculture or a designee.

(3) The Secretary of Community and Economic Development

or a designee.

(4) The Secretary of Corrections or a designee.

(5) The Secretary of Human Services or a designee.

(6) The Secretary of Labor and Industry or a designee.

or a designee.

(11) Eleven other members appointed by the Governor and

confirmed by the Senate which shall include members who:

(i) Represent a rural community.

(ii) Represent an urban community.

(iii) Represent a suburban community.

(iv) Represent the following regions of this

Commonwealth:

(A) The northeastern region.

(B) The northwestern region.

(c) Duties.--The commission shall have the following duties:

(1) Advise the Governor and the General Assembly on

census activities within the Commonwealth.

(2) Identify barriers that might impede the progress of

future Federal decennial censuses in this Commonwealth.

(3) Promote and advertise future Federal decennial

censuses.

(4) Respond to residents' questions and concerns about a

census.

(5) Develop partnerships with regional and local

Complete Count Committees to increase participation in the

4303 (relating to report on census activities).

(d) Quorum.--A majority of appointed members shall

constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business.

(e) Chairperson and vice chairperson.--The members shall

select a chairperson and vice chairperson from among the

membership of the board.

(f) Transparency and ethics.--The commission shall be

subject to the following laws:

(1) The act of July 19, 1957 (P.L.1017, No.451), known

as the State Adverse Interest Act.

(g) Information gathering.--The commission shall use data

from the Pennsylvania State Data Center and may conduct hearings

and otherwise gather additional relevant information and

analysis that the commission considers appropriate and

necessary.

(h) Reimbursement.--Members of the commission shall be

reimbursed for reasonable expenses.

§ 4303. Report on census activities.

(a) Annual report.--The commission shall gather and issue an

annual report on the commission's findings by December 1 of each

year.

(2) A preliminary plan for a future Federal decennial

census by January 1 or 36 months prior to the start of a

future Federal decennial census year.

(3) A final plan for a future Federal decennial census

by July 1 or 36 months prior to the start of a future Federal

decennial census year.

(4) An implementation plan for a future Federal

decennial census by January 1 or 24 months prior to the start

of a future Federal decennial census year.

(5) Funding recommendation plan for a future Federal

shall be reported to:

(1) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the

Appropriations Committee of the Senate.

(2) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the

Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives.

(3) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the

State Government Committee of the Senate.

(4) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the

State Government Committee of the House of Representatives.

(d) Reports made publicly available.--A copy of all reports

under this section shall be made publicly available by being