Legislature(2019 - 2020)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/26/2019 03:30 PM Senate COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
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| Presentation: 2020 Census - Making Alaska Count in the 2020 Census | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
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ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
February 26, 2019
3:31 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Click Bishop, Chair
Senator Chris Birch, Vice Chair
Senator Mia Costello
Senator Lyman Hoffman
Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION: 2020 CENSUS - MAKING ALASKA COUNT IN THE 2020
CENSUS
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
KATIE SCOVIC, Senior Research and Policy Analyst
Cook Inlet Housing Authority
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided an overview of the 2020 Census in
Alaska.
EDDIE HUNSINGER, State Demographer
Research and Analysis Section
Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Discussed the 2020 Census in Alaska.
LAURIE WOLF, President/CEO
The Foraker Group
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Discussed the Alaska Census Working Group
and the importance of an accurate census count in Alaska.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:31:20 PM
CHAIR CLICK BISHOP called the Senate Community and Regional
Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:31 p.m. Present
at the call to order were Senators Gray-Jackson, Hoffman, Birch,
Costello, and Chair Bishop.
^PRESENTATION: 2020 Census - Making Alaska Count in the 2020
Census
PRESENTATION: 2020 Census - Making Alaska Count in the 2020
Census
3:32:18 PM
CHAIR BISHOP announced that the committee will hear a
presentation on the 2020 Census. He noted that he was the
commissioner of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce
Development when the 2010 Census occurred. He noted that the
2010 decennial census started in Noorvik and Clifford Jackson
was the first person counted. He emphasized that an accurate
census count was of the utmost importance.
3:33:43 PM
KATIE SCOVIC, Senior Research and Policy Analyst, Cook Inlet
Housing Authority, Anchorage, Alaska, said she would talk about
the importance of a fair and accurate census count in 2020,
especially in Alaska. She noted that she is a member of the
Alaska Census Working Group, ("working group') which consists of
four members with a mission to make sure that every Alaskan is
counted in the 2020 census.
She discussed "WHY THE CENSUS MATTERS FOR ALASKA" as follows:
• Determines federal funding allocations to over 70 programs
that includes:
o Highway planning and construction,
o Title 1 grants,
o Special education grants,
o Medicaid,
o Housing,
o Foster care,
o All the main systems that the state relies on are
based on federal Census data.
• Maintaining federal funding is critical considering state
and local budget gaps.
• Organizations across the public, private, and nonprofit
sectors rely on accurate census data.
• $3.2 billion of annual federal funding allocations within
Alaska are determined by Census data.
MS. SCOVIC noted that since the census is only conducted once
every 10 years, an inaccurate count is not just insufficient
federal funding for one year, it's that Alaska is not receiving
its fair share of federal funding for a 10-year period.
3:35:32 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON asked her to confirm that the state stands
to lose $3.2 billion annually if the count if the 2020 Census is
not done right.
MS. SCOVIC answered correct. She said a lot of money is at stake
over a ten-year period.
She said in addition to its importance for federal funding
allocations, 2020 Census data also plays a critical role in
allowing organizations to access data needed to confidentially
invest and make decisions in Alaska.
She discussed "Threats to an Accurate Count in 2020" as follows:
• Geographic barriers:
o Census Bureau will not conduct post office box
outreach to remote Alaskans in 2020.
square4 Post office box outreach was conducted in 2010.
• Language barriers:
o Census forms and other materials will be translated
into 12-non-English languages, none will be translated
into Alaska Native languages.
o Working group is trying to address Alaska Native
translations, but the process will not be the normal
federal process.
• Barriers to connectivity:
o 2020 Census will be the first to push online
responses.
o Not all areas in the state will have online
connectivity.
• Prevalence of historically hard-to-count populations.
MS. SCOVIC said getting an accurate count in Alaska is extremely
difficult. She remarked that it is hard to imagine that the
census framers were thinking about Toksook Bay, Alaska when they
mandated the first census hundreds of years ago, yet that is
where the census will begin in January 2020.
She explained that the 2020 Census begins early in Alaska due to
the realities of counting remote and rural areas as well as
counting migratory populations that work seasonally. The Census
Bureau must be credited for their engagement with the working
group to identify and make sure that the enumeration methods are
matching the people and the places that are intended to be
counted, but the state still has a lot to do.
3:39:31 PM
SENATOR BIRCH asked how illegal aliens are counted, people who
have either overstayed their permission to be in the country or
people who came across the border.
MS. SCOVIC explained that the census is intended to count people
currently residing in the country, not just citizens of the
country.
CHAIR BISHOP asked Mr. Hunsinger to comment.
3:41:00 PM
EDDIE HUNSINGER, State Demographer, Research and Analysis
Section, Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development,
Anchorage, Alaska, explained that the Census Bureau uses the
usual-place-of-residence concept to count citizens or non-
citizens. He said there may be a citizenship question on the
census form like there is on the American Community Survey form.
The main thing that the Census Bureau is interested in is usual
place of residence and counting every single person, even people
who are visiting for long term work from overseas. If their
usual place of residence on Census Day is in Alaska then they
will be counted in Alaska.
SENATOR BIRCH noted that congressional apportionment is based on
the most recent census, but the apportionment for Alaska will
not be effected due to the state's small population. He asked if
people who are residing in the state during the census, illegal
or not, will be counted.
MR. HUNSINGER replied that he is not sure what the rules are for
congressional apportionment. Tabulations are made in states that
want place of residence for people in the military or different
populations.
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON asked why Alaska Native languages will not
be translated.
MS. SCOVIC explained that there is a minimum threshold for the
number of people speaking the language and no Alaska Native
language met the threshold. She noted that there are over 100
languages spoken in the Anchorage School District and added that
there are concerns about translating languages beyond Alaska
Native languages.
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON expressed concern that Alaska's Native
languages are not being translated. She asked Ms. Scovic to
explain her comment that an effort is being made to translate
Alaska Native languages.
MS. SCOVIC explained that the translation effort is resource
based. She said there are also sub-grants to local communities
with the idea that people in local areas know their communities
best, but resources are required to pay translators to do their
work. Part of the working group's work is advocating for the
importance of translating and the other part is identifying the
resources to do that.
CHAIR BISHOP advised that a federal representative for the 2020
Census was unable to attend the committee meeting. He said his
intent is to have an additional meeting in the future with a
federal representative.
3:44:46 PM
MS. SCOVIC discussed "Mapping Hard-to-Count Tracts.". She
referenced a Lower 48 map that showed hard to count areas that
have low response rates and require additional and expensive
follow up. The hard to count areas are more likely to be under
counted. The Lower 48 in general has large areas that are
considered business as usual.
She referenced a state map and discussed "Alaska will be one of
the hardest states to count in the 2020 Census." She said one of
the important things to point out on the map are the striped
areas in the northern and western areas of Alaska that are
identified as "special enumeration tracks" because they are so
difficult to count that they require special counting methods.
She pointed out that in comparison to the rest of the country
most geographic areas in Alaska are considered hard to count.
MS. SCOVIC discussed "Alaskans at Risk of Undercount" as
follows:
• 8 percent undercount of Alaskans in the state's special-
enumerations tracts.
• 4.9 percent undercount of American Indians and Alaska
Natives living on reservations in the 2010 Census.
She added that other groups at risk of undercount include
children under the age of five, immigrants, renters, individuals
experiencing homelessness, and those living in overcrowded
housing settings.
SENATOR BIRCH asked how the undercount is determined.
MS. SCOVIC replied that the Census Bureau has a postmortem after
the census is conducted to look at how the count compares to
previous counts.
CHAIR BISHOP pointed out that the commissioner of the Department
of Labor hears about undercounts from communities.
3:48:06 PM
SENATOR COSTELLO mentioned a reference to "Census Day" in the
packets and asked if the count occurs on one day. She commented
on the improbability of doing the count in a single day.
MS. SCOVIC answered that there is a phased approach leading up
to Census Day. The count will begin in Alaska starting in
January. In-person counting will begin in March. She said Census
Day is considered a ceremonial day when the count starts, and
the difficult enumeration methods start earlier.
SENATOR COSTELLO asked if there is a problem with fraud.
MS. SCOVIC answered that she did not know.
SENATOR COSTELLO asked why a census-percentage-increase
adjustment is not considered when the Census Bureau knows the
undercount percentage.
MS. SCOVIC answered that a federal representative from the
Census Bureau would know. The census is constitutionally
mandated to occur once ever 10 years and questions referencing
census adjustment afterwards should be addressed to the Census
Bureau.
MS. SCOVIC mentioned Senate District C and noted that the
district has multiple census counting methods. Twenty-two
percent of the district lives in hard-to-count areas that are
more likely to be under counted and 26 percent live in special-
enumeration tracts that require in-person-counting methods. She
noted that there is an area within District C that had a 28.6-
percent-response rate in the 2010 Census, one of the lowest in
the U.S.
3:51:19 PM
CHAIR BISHOP pointed out that his district, District C, is on a
road system just to emphasize the challenge, especially when
going north of the Yukon River.
MS. SCOVIC agreed.
She reviewed 2010 Census data for committee member's districts
as follows:
• Senate District S:
o Senator Hoffman's district.
o 100 percent of the district is considered "hard to
count."
o 47 percent of the population lives in "hard to count"
areas.
o 53 percent live in "special enumeration" tracts:
square4 Difficult to reach,
square4 Require costly in-person counting methods.
o District was undercounted by 8 percent.
• Senate District I:
o Senator Gray-Jackson's area.
o Shows Alaska's urban issues as well.
o 63 percent of the district lives in "hard to count"
areas that are at risk of being under counted.
• Senate District K:
o Senator Costello's district.
o 28 percent of the district lives in "hard to count"
areas that are at risk of being under counted.
• Senate District M:
o Senator Birch's district.
o 14 percent of the district lives in "hard to count"
areas that are at risk of being under counted.
MS. SCOVIC emphasized that the hard to count areas are not just
a rural issue. They require follow up for census counting that
is more costly and difficult in Alaska. Having a person aware of
the census during the initial process is important.
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON said she knocked on doors in District I and
she finds the census data hard to understand where 63 percent of
her district lives in a hard-to-count area.
CHAIR BISHOP remarked that to myth bust there are people who
don't mind opening their doors for campaigning but opening their
doors for a census worker might be another question.
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON acknowledged the point and continued to
question the hard-to-count designation.
3:54:01 PM
MS. SCOVIC explained that the hard to count distinction captures
the difficulty of getting people to respond to the census.
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON remarked that she now has a better idea of
what hard to count means.
SENATOR HOFFMAN asked if the 2020 Census form is currently
available.
CHAIR BISHOP answered no.
SENATOR COSTELLO mentioned the hard to count population in her
district, noting that she too can walk to every door and
apartment in her district. She asked what technology is being
used for the census, especially if an electronic application is
used to share information when someone tries to reach a person
again.
MS. SCOVIC explained that census response in Senator Costello's
district will be either online or by mail, which is less about
knowing where someone lives and more about whether an individual
returns a complete census form. District K had an above average
response rate, but there are tracts within the district with a
lower response rate that require more follow up.
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON asked how the census is taken in
apartments.
MS. SCOVIC explained that apartments are considered housing
units and people are counted within their apartment unit.
3:57:31 PM
She referenced "Fewer Resources for the 2020 Count" as follows:
• Slow ramp-up of federal funding and the ongoing government
shutdown have created uncertainty about the sufficiency of
federal resources.
• Fewer partnership program staff have been hired.
• Communications materials won't be ready until late 2019.
• States across the country are allocating resources to fill
gaps in federal funding and help ensure an accurate count.
She summarized that undercounts occurred in the 2010 Census, and
Alaska will need to count more people with fewer federal
resources for the 2020 Census.
4:00:41 PM
SENATOR BIRCH asked how detailed that census questionnaire will
be, when will the questionnaire be publicly available, and will
the individual census information be private.
MS. SCOVIC replied that there is a distinction between the
census and the American Community Survey which is an annual
survey based on a large subsample that is more detailed. The
census form is ten questions that are short to increase
engagement. Census data is released in late 2020 or early 2021.
MR. HUNSINGER explained that the initial census numbers will be
delivered to the President in early 2021 and more detailed
information will come out the following years. He mentioned
undercounts and noted that the information is derived from
survey-based methods after the census and that is the reason why
the counts cannot be readily revised.
4:04:04 PM
SENATOR BIRCH asked how far back census data can be accessed.
MR. HUNSINGER replied that the latest data goes back to the 1940
Census.
SENATOR COSTELLO opined that there are different ways
individuals connect with an organization via taxes, the
Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD), and birth and death registries.
She asked if anyone is working on a better way to estimate the
country's census without going through the tremendous expense to
go out and reach all the people.
MR. HUNSINGER replied that there are people in multiple
countries working on administrative-records-based enumerations.
He pointed out that there are biases in that data where some
people have higher coverage than others which creates a
challenge in bringing the data together. He opined that many
consider using administrative records as the future for counting
people.
4:06:42 PM
MS. SCOVIC summarized that an undercount in Alaska could result
in $3.2 billion in reduced federal funding. That compounds state
and local budget gaps pertaining to road repairs, education, and
70 federal programs in Alaska. Organizations across the state
use census data to plan and invest in communities. Census data
is also used for the proper enforcement of laws that protect
vulnerable populations like the Voting Rights Act.
She said it is easy to think of the census as an impersonal
operation with bland data that is more interesting to
statisticians. The reality is census data will determine what
Alaska looks like in terms of its roads and schools. If Alaskans
care about roads and schools, then it is necessary to care about
the census. The good news is the state can reduce the risk of an
undercount if Alaska acts collectively to identify the risks and
allocate the resources needed to combat an undercount.
4:08:20 PM
CHAIR BISHOP opined that census awareness puts a face on the
process by explaining that partners like Alaska Airlines care
because they want to know if greater air service is required in
the state or if Costco needs to expand in an area. Census data
is not used exclusively by the federal government, but also by
private businesses that bring jobs and add to the state's
economy.
MR. HUNSINGER referenced "2020 Census in Alaska, Overview and
State Data Use" and explained that he works with colleagues on
population estimates and projections for the state and
participates in Census Bureau partnership programs to help
ensure accurate and useful data.
MR. HUNSINGER opined that the decennial census is the most
important data set that the state has in generating statistics
about population. In addition to the constitutional mandate for
reapportionment, the census is the starting point for virtually
all state and local population estimates. The census estimates
are used for funding allocations and in the development of
countless reports and statistics each year.
He detailed that the decennial census data goes into the
population estimates which form the weights and controls for the
American Community Survey data. Without the census the American
Community Survey will not be reliable. The U.S. Census Bureau
manages many different surveys, many of which are ongoing. The
American Community Survey is an ongoing survey that is used a
lot because of its detailed information.
He explained that the questionnaire for the decennial census is
brief, but the challenge is that all questions must be filled in
for every household and living courters in the country and each
one must be tied to a certain place.
4:11:34 PM
He discussed data resources that rely on the decennial census
and countless other statistics are effected by the census as
follows:
• Health statistics,
• Education statistics,
• Employment statistics,
• Monthly unemployment rates,
• Crime statistics,
• Planning and forecast tools for transportation,
• Housing statistics.
He asserted that the only resource for reliable demographic and
household characteristics, especially for small communities, is
the decennial census. The data from the census should represent
a 100-percent count that does not have the kind of uncertainty
that comes with other sources like the American Community
Survey.
He disclosed that it is very difficult to correct or know how to
correct errors for specific places in the decennial census and
it's important the Census Bureau gets the count right. Alaska's
PFD-based data is helpful for population estimates and is the
only way for the state to get reliable annual population
estimates for small communities, but it does not cover everyone.
The state must use the PFD-based data in conjunction with the
decennial census to get complete population estimates for
communities.
4:13:44 PM
MR. HUNSINGER explained that there will be several ways people
will be counted in the 2020 Census. The four major ways that
people living in households will be counted are as follows:
1. Self-Response:
a. Type of Enumeration Area 1 (TEA 1).
b. Covers Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau.
c. Materials will be mailed for response by internet,
mail, or telephone.
d. Census Bureau will follow up if there is no response,
also known as non-response follow up which is costly.
2. Update Leave:
a. Type of Enumeration Area 6 (TEA 6).
b. Covers many households along Alaska's road system that
does not receive mail at home.
c. Materials delivered in-person for response by
internet, mail, and telephone.
3. Update Enumerate:
a. Type of Enumeration Area 2 (TEA 2).
b. Covers Southeast Alaska and Kodiak Island.
c. Census Bureau enumerators verify the location of each
housing unit and "knocks on doors" to conduct
interviews.
4. Remote Alaska:
a. Type of Enumeration Area 4 (TEA 4).
b. Covers most of Alaska.
c. Like TEA 2 except that a sworn-in-local official
validates the Census Bureau enumerators' work.
d. Process allows village leaders to review and certify
the counts.
e. Remote Alaska count will begin January 2020 in Toksook
Bay.
He added that people living in military installations and aboard
military vessels will be counted through the Alaska Department
of Labor and Workforce Development administrative records from
the Defense Manpower Data Center. The census count for
populations and group quarters facility addresses shared
facilities, dormitories, and prison cells that are counted in
advance via a mix of in-field visits and administrative data.
The population locations identified as transitory will be
identified and counted by in-field visits on a certain day.
4:17:32 PM
MR. HUNSINGER reviewed the 2020 Census operational timeline as
follows:
• March 2018:
o Census Bureau delivers questions to Congress.
• April 2018:
o Open six regional census centers.
• October 2018:
o Full implementation of the communications
• January-March 2019:
o Open 40 area census offices.
• June-September 2019:
o Open remaining 208 area census offices.
• August 2019:
o Conduct in-field and address canvassing.
• January 2020:
o Begin enumeration in remote Alaska.
• February 2020:
o Group Quarters Operation begins.
• March 2020:
o Update Leave begins,
o Internet Self-Response begins.
• April 1, 2020:
o Census Day.
• May 2020:
o Nonresponse Followup begins.
• December 31, 2020:
o Deliver apportionment counts to the President.
• March 31, 2021:
o Complete delivering Redistricting Summary Files to all
states, (P.L. 94-171).
He noted that the Census Bureau uses the phrase, "Once only once
and in the right place" for accomplishing a complete census
where everyone is counted. Everyone must be counted at a certain
place and the Census Bureau works to accomplish its goal by a
number of different programs. At the very start, the Census
Bureau has the data from the 2010 Census and the bureau
continually updates data from sources including the U.S. Postal
Service, local and state government partners, and Census Bureau
field representatives who are working on ongoing surveys like
the American Community Survey.
MR. HUNSINGER detailed that once the Census Bureau receives
census data, the data becomes Title 13 protected, meaning the
data is confidential and is not shared for any reason. The
Census Bureau also has a major address-canvassing operation
where the bureau hires workers to physically go out and review,
validate, and update the entire address database ahead of a
census. In past censuses, 100 percent of the country was
canvassed by people in the field, also known as in-field
canvassing. For the 2020 Census, many of the nation's self-
response areas are being canvassed with data the Census Bureau
has in-office, including analysis of remote imagery.
He said the department is working with the Census Bureau and is
grateful for their partnership with the Alaska Census Working
Group so that the bureau knows Alaska needs people in the field
for most of the state to find addresses.
4:19:47 PM
CHAIR BISHOP asked when the federal government starts hiring and
training enumerators, how many are hired, and the pay range.
MR. HUNSINGER answered that he will get back with actual dates
and numbers of people. He noted that address canvassing will be
occurring in August 2019 and people are already being hired and
trained via outreach partnerships.
He explained that the Census Bureau emphasizes data protection
and privacy. The Census Bureau, per Title 13 of the U.S. Code,
cannot release information about any individuals, households,
businesses, even to law enforcement agencies. The law states
that the information collected can only be used for statistical
purposes and no other purpose. To support historical research,
Title 44 of the U.S. Code allows the National Archives and
Records Administration to release census records only after 72
years. All Census Bureau staff take a lifetime oath to protect
personal information and any violation comes with a penalty of
up to $250,000 and/or up to 5 years in prison.
SENATOR BIRCH asked when data not attributable to a specific
resident becomes available.
4:23:13 PM
MR. HUNSINGER explained that the Census Bureau puts out summary
files that detail various data tabulations regarding age, race,
etcetera. The Census Bureau is careful about not allowing
information that can be linked to an individual, especially in
villages with small populations. The first data comes out in
early 2021, but the entire data rollout takes a couple of years.
SENATOR BIRCH agreed that extrapolating data for smaller
communities could be used to drill down on private information.
4:25:10 PM
MR. HUNSINGER reiterated that the Census Bureau takes protection
and privacy very seriously.
He reviewed areas of concern for the 2020 Census in Alaska as
follows:
• Impediments to hiring and training census employees.
• Difficulty in finding and identifying housing units.
• Families living with other families.
• Distrust or fatigue related to the census or surveys in
general.
• Communication challenges due to language barriers.
He said for all areas in the state to ensure a complete count
finding ways to engage with Alaskans for a response to be
counted is critical. The Census Bureau has provided careful
research called the "Barriers, Attitudes and Motivators Study"
(CBAMS). The CBAMS is not Alaska specific, but the research is
informative. CBAMS surveyed 50,000 people and found that only 33
percent were very or extremely familiar with the census. The
analysis revealed five barriers that might prevent people from
participating in the census as follows:
1. Concerns about data privacy and confidentiality.
2. Fear of repercussions.
3. Distrust in all levels of government.
4. Feeling that it does not matter if you are counted.
5. Belief that completing the census might not benefit you
personally.
He noted that funding for public services was a top motivator
across groups, yet less than half of respondents knew that the
census is used to determine community funding.
MR. HUNSINGER explained that in order to find ways to get people
to count, the Census Bureau did research with focus groups to
address barriers to people responding and found the following:
• Tying census participation to community funding.
• Extension to "hope for a better future" for younger
generations was a key motivator to get people to respond.
• Helping people to understand the purpose, content, and
process of the census may increase participation in the
2020 Census.
• Messaging is needed for how a census directly benefits
local communities now and in the future.
• Providing information about the Census Bureau's data
protection policies will not alone mitigate concerns around
privacy and confidentiality.
• Encouraging response from trusted voices within the
community may increase participation among people with the
greatest distrust in government.
4:28:47 PM
LAURIE WOLF, President/CEO, The Foraker Group, Anchorage,
Alaska, explained that the Foraker Group serves as Alaska's
nonprofit association and capacity builder by standing up the
Alaska Census Working Group.
She said central to the Foraker Group work is to give voice to
non-partisan public policy issues that impact the nonprofit
sector related to the $3.2 billion in federal funding as a
reason why Alaskans should care about an accurate census count.
She noted that 17 percent of the $3.2 billion in federal funding
goes directly to nonprofits.
She said approximately two years ago the Foraker Group created
and convened the Alaska Census Working Group. It is an all-
volunteer group of individuals that advocates for the fair and
accurate census count. The working group is a non-partisan,
multi-sector collaboration with representation from local and
statewide businesses, local and statewide government, federal
government, Alaska Native organizations, the University of
Alaska, among others.
She emphasized that Alaska only gets one chance every 10 years
to get the census count right. An accurate count impacts federal
dollars that is based on good data.
4:30:39 PM
MS. WOLF recapped previous testimony regarding the 2020 Census
as follows:
• The federal government has made fewer resources available.
• The Census Bureau outreach efforts are lagging far behind
the necessary timeline to build awareness.
• There will be no outreach to Alaskans whose only address is
a post office box.
• There will be no federal dollars set aside for translation
of census materials into Alaska Native languages.
• The Census Bureau regional office has been moved from
Seattle to Los Angeles.
• Challenges related to data security and privacy.
• The Census Bureau is working with local communities and
tribes to create complete-count committees to build trust
and ensure a good count.
She summarized that Alaska risks not having good data to access
the state's fair share of federal funds and the ability to make
solid business decisions.
4:32:58 PM
SENATOR COSTELLO noted that Ms. Wolf had mentioned that there
was a $250,000 budget item that she was hoping to have. She
disclosed that she had a discussion with Donna Arduin, Director
for the Office of Management and Budget, about funding and
Director Arduin said the budget item would be absorbed into the
Governor's Office Budget. She asked if Ms. Wolf has received
confirmation that the budget item will be dedicated to outreach
efforts.
MS. WOLF answered no.
CHAIR BISHOP asked if Alaskans are being trained for on-the-
ground outreach jobs.
MS. WOLF answered that on-the-ground should be Alaskans, but the
Census Bureau can speak directly to their hiring and recruiting.
CHAIR BISHOP said the committee will invite the Census Bureau to
a future committee meeting.
MS. WOLF said the Census Bureau is forming local complete-count
committees that will be Alaskans.
MS. WOLF emphasized that Alaskans must act together for an
accurate census count. The Alaska Census Working Group is ready
to stand with the Legislature to build awareness among other
policy makers at all levels of government and with communities
to address the importance of a fair and accurate count.
She noted that in the last administration the Alaska Census
Working Group encouraged the creation of the Alaska Complete
Count Commission through administrative order as well as helping
foster alignment between the body and the working group to
assure substantial outreach, and the marshalling of state
resources to support focus-census work. The Alaska Complete
Count Commission was recently decommissioned and then
recommissioned by Governor Dunleavy through a new administrative
order in early February 2019.
4:35:18 PM
CHAIR BISHOP noted that committee members received copies of
both Governor Walker's Administrative Order No. 301 and Governor
Dunleavy's Administrative Order No. 303. He asked what the two
biggest differences are between the two administrative orders.
MS. WOLF explained that there are nine ways the two
administrative orders differ. The top two differences are the
second administrative order removes the connection to the Alaska
Census Working Group and the order removes assigned seats from
the House and Senate.
She said the Alaska Census Working Group looks forward to the
Alaska Complete Count Commission being activated with a focus on
a full and accurate count. The Alaska Census Working Group was
able to initially secure the line item in the budget for
$250,000 to support the work of the Alaska Complete Count
Commission. However, the Alaska Census Working Group was
distressed to see the woefully inadequate funding option cut
from the governor's recent proposed budget. She noted that there
was a recent national study that found that a bare minimum
allocation to support the necessary outreach in Alaska would be
closer to $1.5 million. She added that Senator Costello's
budgetary information is new and reiterated that the working
group has not been notified.
She said the working group encourages legislators to educate
their constituents on the importance of the census count and for
state government to bring together resources to help get the
word out. She noted that legislators can promote activities that
are low or no cost like sending messages to constituents,
talking about the census during town-hall meetings, and adding
notification in the PFD application process.
MS. WOLF noted that the working group has a comprehensive budget
through 2020 but emphasized that a comprehensive communication
plan is needed to focus on the hardest to count parts of Alaska.
She said the working group plans to add more value as follows:
• Use the working group's resources by including social
media, public broadcasting, and post office box outreach.
• Work on Alaska Native language translations of census
materials.
• Add a mini-grant program to help local communities do their
own outreach.
She summarized that the working group has lots of ideas but
cannot do the census work alone. The working group wants to be a
partner with the legislature on the 2020 Census and asks that
the state step up to do its part because there is so much at
stake. She said there are 3.2 billion reasons every year why the
state should care about the census.
4:39:35 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON said she appreciates the census
presentation because there are a lot of U.S. citizens who have
no idea what the census is all about. She emphasized that she is
going to educate her constituents because the $3.2 billion in
federal funding is a big deal.
SENATOR COSTELLO opined that the ability to show constituents
what the 2020 Census envelope looks like will be helpful. She
asked if a census design graphic is available for legislators to
include in newsletters for their constituents to start the brand
marketing.
MS. WOLF explained that one of the working group goals is to
create a statewide branding campaign. The working group is
waiting on the Census Bureau to provide their branding, but the
information will not come fast enough. The working group is
hoping to create something like what Michigan did with their
website that had a theme, brand, and logos with materials that
people could use.
CHAIR BISHOP thanked the Census 2020 presenters.
MS. SCOVIC concurred with Ms. Wolf on providing materials for
legislators or local communities to personalize and distribute
census information.
CHAIR BISHOP reiterated that his intent is to have a follow up
meeting on the census at the end of session, primarily to have a
Census Bureau representative in attendance.
4:42:41 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Bishop adjourned the Senate Community and Regional Affairs
Standing Committee meeting at 4:42 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation- Making Alaska Count 2020 Census.pdf |
SCRA 2/26/2019 3:30:00 PM |
2020 Census |
| 2020 Census Presentation- Eddie Hunsinger, DOL.pdf |
SCRA 2/26/2019 3:30:00 PM |
2020 Census |
| 2020 Census Residence Criteria.pdf |
SCRA 2/26/2019 3:30:00 PM |
2020 Census |
| 02.12.19 AO 303 2020 Census Alaska Complete Count Commission.pdf |
SCRA 2/26/2019 3:30:00 PM |
2020 Census |
| Administrative Order No. 301.pdf |
SCRA 2/26/2019 3:30:00 PM |
2020 Census |
| Whats at Stake in the 2020 Census.pdf |
SCRA 2/26/2019 3:30:00 PM |
2020 Census |