86R2610 MTB-D
 
  By: Blanco H.B. No. 255
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to efforts to encourage full participation in the 2020
  federal decennial census by the residents of this state, including
  the establishment of the Complete Count Commission.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the Every
  Texan Counts Act.
         SECTION 2.  DEFINITIONS. In this Act:
               (1)  "Commission" means the Complete Count Commission
  created by this Act.
               (2)  "Local government" means a municipality or county.
               (3)  "Member" means a member of the commission.
               (4)  "State agency" means a board, commission,
  department, office, or other agency that is in the executive branch
  of state government and was created by the constitution or a statute
  of this state.
         SECTION 3.  COMMISSION. (a)  The commission is composed of
  the following members:
               (1)  seven persons appointed by the governor;
               (2)  one person appointed by the governor from a list
  submitted by the speaker of the house of representatives;
               (3)  one person appointed by the lieutenant governor;
               (4)  one person from each of the 10 most populous
  counties in this state, nominated by the county's respective county
  judge;
               (5)  seven members from business, faith, and nonprofit
  community-based organizations, appointed by the governor, to
  represent the demographic, economic, and linguistic diversity of
  this state;
               (6)  five members appointed by the secretary of state
  to represent traditionally hard-to-count populations, three of
  whom must be from counties located on the Texas-Mexico border;
               (7)  if a local government has created a local complete
  count commission, members designated by the local commission; and
               (8)  the secretary of state, who serves as the chair of
  the commission.
         (b)  A member serves at the pleasure of the member's
  appointing official and vacancies shall be filled in the same
  manner as the initial appointment. The commission shall meet not
  later than the 30th day after the date initial appointments are made
  under Subsections (a)(1)-(6) of this section.  The commission shall
  meet regularly as necessary at the call of the chair.
         (c)  A member may not receive compensation for service on the
  commission, but is entitled to reimbursement for actual and
  necessary expenses incurred in performing commission duties. The
  commission may accept gifts, grants, and donations to pay for those
  expenses.
         (d)  The commission may employ a director and assistant
  director on a two-thirds vote of the full membership of the
  commission. The director and assistant director may be compensated
  from money appropriated or available for that purpose.
         SECTION 4.  CENSUS OUTREACH STRATEGY.  (a)  The commission
  shall 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 13 U.S.C.
  Section 141.
         (b)  The census outreach strategy must include:
               (1)  state agency initiatives to encourage
  participation in the 2020 federal decennial census;
               (2)  the establishment and support of school-based
  outreach programs;
               (3)  partnerships with nonprofit community-based
  organizations; and
               (4)  a multilingual, multimedia campaign designed to
  ensure an accurate and complete count of this state's population.
         (c)  To assist in carrying out its duties, the commission may
  create and appoint subcommittees as appropriate and shall solicit
  participation from relevant experts and practitioners involved in
  census issues.
         (d)  The secretary of state shall:
               (1)  coordinate the census outreach strategy;
               (2)  provide administrative support to the commission;
  and
               (3)  coordinate with all state agencies and
  constitutional officers, as well as local governments, to identify
  effective methods of outreach to residents of this state and to
  provide resources to ensure the outreach program is successful and
  that all residents of this state are counted.
         (e)  A state agency shall inform the secretary of state of
  the agency's designated census coordinator and cooperate with and
  provide support to the commission. Other state governmental
  entities and local governments shall cooperate and provide all
  reasonable assistance to the commission.
         (f)  Not later than December 31, 2019, the commission shall
  submit a written report to the governor, lieutenant governor,
  speaker of the house of representatives, and members of the
  legislature with its recommendations and findings, including a
  recommended outreach strategy for implementation for the 2020
  federal decennial census.
         SECTION 5.  GRANT PROGRAM. (a)  Using available funds or
  private donations, the governor shall establish and administer a
  grant program to award grants to local governments for their
  outreach efforts to encourage full participation in the 2020
  federal decennial census of population required by 13 U.S.C.
  Section 141.
         (b)  The governor shall adopt rules to implement and
  administer the grant program created under this section, including
  rules regarding applications by and eligibility of local
  governments for grants under the program. Eligibility rules must
  prioritize a local government that has:
               (1)  established census outreach efforts; and
               (2)  census tracts with traditionally hard-to-count
  populations within its boundaries.
         (c)  The governor may accept gifts, grants, and donations for
  the grant program created under this section.
         SECTION 6.  INITIAL APPOINTMENTS. As soon as practicable
  after the effective date of this Act, the appointing officials
  shall appoint members to the commission as provided by Section 3(a)
  of this Act.
         SECTION 7.  ABOLISHMENT AND EXPIRATION. The commission and
  the grant program created under this Act are abolished and this Act
  expires on September 1, 2021.
         SECTION 8.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect
  immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members
  elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas
  Constitution.  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for
  immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2019.