HR0243LRB101 11885 MST 58885 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Every 10 years, Article 1, Section 2 of the United
3States Constitution mandates a count of all the people living
4in the United States and its territories; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Illinois has lost one congressional seat in every
6census cycle since 1950; Illinois could possibly lose two
7congressional seats based off the 2020 Census count; and
 
8    WHEREAS, The data obtained from the census count in every
9state will determine federal dollars that are allocated to
10states, accordingly; Illinois receives more than $20 billion
11dollars in federal funding annually, based off census data; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Illinois needs to work together as a state to
13ensure a fair, accurate, and coordinated census count in 2020;
14all Illinois General Assembly members should make a concerted
15effort to engage in local count committees and serve as trusted
16messengers in their community to educate residents on the
17importance of being counted; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The census self-response is going on line for the
19first time ever in the history of the U.S. census count;
20Illinois needs to ensure that residents living in areas where
21broadband access is not readily available have the resources

 

 

HR0243- 2 -LRB101 11885 MST 58885 r

1available to connect and self-report; and
 
2    WHEREAS, The Illinois General Assembly should also
3consider allocating an appropriation for community-based
4organizations and local governments across the State to have
5capacity dollars necessary to do outreach work; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois established a statewide
7Complete Count Commission last year to ensure 22 commission
8members begin reaching out to communities across the State to
9ensure coordination and collaboration; this commission is the
10first of its kind in the country created by state statute; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Every resident in Illinois should have access to
12information about the Census 2020 well in advance of Census Day
132020; therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
15HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
16we declare April 1, 2019 as Census Awareness Day.