Legislature(2019 - 2020)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
05/11/2019 10:30 AM Senate COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HJR19 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HJR 19 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
May 11, 2019
10:29 a.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
CS FOR HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 19(TRB)
Urging the United States Congress to fully fund the United
States Census Bureau for the 2020 Census; urging the governor to
prioritize an accurate count for the 2020 Census; and urging
local governments to establish local complete count commissions.
- MOVED CSHJR 19(TRB) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HJR 19
SHORT TITLE: SUPPORT 2020 DECENNIAL CENSUS
SPONSOR(s): TRIBAL AFFAIRS
04/24/19 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/24/19 (H) TRB, CRA
04/25/19 (H) TRB AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
04/25/19 (H) Moved CSHJR 19(TRB) Out of Committee
04/25/19 (H) MINUTE(TRB)
04/26/19 (H) TRB RPT CS(TRB) 6DP
04/26/19 (H) DP: VANCE, ORTIZ, LINCOLN, KOPP,
TALERICO, ZULKOSKY
05/07/19 (H) CRA RPT CS(TRB) 5DP 2NR
05/07/19 (H) DP: CLAMAN, KREISS-TOMKINS, THOMPSON,
DRUMMOND, HANNAN
05/07/19 (H) NR: JACKSON, REVAK
05/07/19 (H) CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124
05/07/19 (H) Moved CSHJR 19(TRB) Out of Committee
05/07/19 (H) MINUTE(CRA)
05/09/19 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
05/09/19 (H) VERSION: CSHJR 19(TRB)
05/10/19 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
05/10/19 (S) CRA
05/11/19 (S) CRA AT 10:30 AM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE TIFFANY ZULKOSKY
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of HJR 19.
DR. MARK WALSH, Vice President of Public Policy
Foraker Group;
Staff to the Alaska Census Working Group
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered a question related to the 2020
Census during the hearing on HJR 19.
ACTION NARRATIVE
10:29:46 AM
CHAIR CLICK BISHOP called the Senate Community and Regional
Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 10:29 a.m.
Present at the call to order were Senators Hoffman, Costello,
Gray-Jackson, Birch, and Chair Bishop.
HJR 19-SUPPORT 2020 DECENNIAL CENSUS
10:30:23 AM
CHAIR BISHOP announced the consideration of House Joint
Resolution 19 (HJR 19).
[CSHJR 19(TRB) was before the committee.]
He noted that on February 26, 2019 the committee had an in-depth
overview of the 2020 Decennial Census.
10:31:00 AM
REPRESENTATIVE TIFFANY ZULKOSKY, Alaska State Legislature,
Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of HJR 19, explained that the resolution
was sponsored by the House Special Committee on Tribal Affairs
to urge Congress to fully fund the U.S. Census Bureau for the
2020 Census, encourage the governor to prioritize an accurate
count through an active complete-count commission, and urge
local governments to prepare for and engage in the 2020 Census
through establishment of local complete-count commissions.
She explained that as required in Article 1, Section 2 of the
U.S. Constitution, the Census aims to count every resident in
the country at the location where they live as a basis for
sharing resources and determining political representation.
She detailed that the House Special Committee on Tribal Affairs
had a hearing on April 23, 2019 to talk about the importance of
the 2020 Decennial Census and what the Census means to Alaska.
Depending on federally established formulas tied to Census data,
Alaska receives $3.2 billion in federal funding each year across
70 programs. In a time of state and local budget constraints,
maintaining the amount of federal investment is crucial to
Alaska's economy, communities, and programs.
She detailed that organizations across public, private, and
nonprofit sectors rely on funding allocations determined by the
Census information illustrating the importance of accurate count
data. Every uncounted Alaskan results in an annual loss of
approximately $3,000 in federal funding intended for the state
over a 10-year period. The loss of federal funding for an
uncounted Alaskan results in reduced essential services like
health, housing, road repairs, and education. Undercounting
compounds harm to local and state budget gaps, and improper
enforcement of voting and civil rights laws. Census data must be
accurate and everything done to ensure that Alaskans are ready
to be counted.
She explained that in partnership with the Alaska Census Working
Group, a public-private partnership of local organizations, the
House Special Committee on Tribal Affairs sponsored HJR 19 to
highlight the importance of the Decennial Census. HJR 19 urges
the federal delegation to fully fund the 2020 Census, encourages
the state to prioritize outreach, and invites local governments
to engage in the census count. With significant geographic
language and connectivity barriers, Alaska is one of the most
difficult states in the country to count. The difficulty of
counting Alaskans is even greater in the 2020 Census with the
U.S. Census Bureau decision to eliminate both the notification
mailing to post office boxes and translation support materials
into Alaska Native languages and the transition to mostly online
response.
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY said with the U.S. Census Bureau is
launching its count in her home district in Toksook Bay on
January 21, 2020, and it is vital that Alaska's leadership at
all levels of government and organizations across the state
prioritize an accurate count before starting conversations about
how the data will be used. Because the 2020 Decennial Census is
so important to every community, citizen, and organization in
Alaska, the House Special Committee on Tribal Affairs sponsored
the introduction of HJR 19 and unanimously moved it out of
committee. The resolution also had strong bi-partisan support in
passage on the House floor.
10:35:20 AM
SENATOR BIRCH asked if there has been thought about having a
lottery to see who gets to be the first person counted in the
United States in Toksook Bay.
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY replied that she was not sure how the
decision will be made. She said her intent is to be in Toksook
Bay when the 2020 Census count starts.
SENATOR BIRCH noted that Alaska has a large military population
where many retain their residency while living elsewhere due to
the permanent fund program. He asked how a person is counted
when they are a resident in one state but live elsewhere.
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY answered that she believes that Alaskans
receive their census information at their place of residence and
she did not know if their mail is forwarded.
CHAIR BISHOP asked Dr. Walsh if he had any information to add.
10:37:45 AM
DR. MARK WALSH, Vice President of Public Policy, Foraker Group,
and Staff to the Alaska Census Working Group, Fairbanks, Alaska,
replied that the experts have told him that Alaska is still
considered an overseas posting so census material is sent to the
person's home post, meaning where they came from. The likelihood
is many military personnel will be counted in their home state,
not Alaska.
CHAIR BISHOP opined that he would like to see Senator Hoffman in
Toksook Bay to represent his home district as well when the 2020
Census starts. He noted that when he was commissioner of the
Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, he
attended the start of the 2010 Census in Noorvik. He noted that
Noorvik made the start of the 2010 Census into an event that was
rolled out in a big way.
10:39:30 AM
CHAIR BISHOP closed public testimony on HJR 19.
10:39:43 AM
SENATOR BIRCH moved to report CSHJR 19(TRB), work order 31-
LS0738\S, from committee with individual recommendations and
attached zero fiscal note.
CHAIR BISHOP found no objection and CSHJR 19(TRB) moved from the
Senate Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee.
10:40:20 AM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Bishop adjourned the Senate Community and Regional Affairs
Standing Committee meeting at 10:40 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HJR019 version S.PDF |
SCRA 5/11/2019 8:30:00 AM SCRA 5/11/2019 10:30:00 AM |
HJR 19 |
| HJR019 fiscal note.PDF |
SCRA 5/11/2019 8:30:00 AM SCRA 5/11/2019 10:30:00 AM |
HJR 19 |