Senate Concurrent Resolution 592

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION EXPRESSING TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS THE SUPPORT OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI FOR THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY.

WHEREAS, in 1996, the United States Bureau of the Census began testing the American Community Survey in response to bipartisan requests from Congress after the 1990 Census to respond to the problem that Decennial Census data has diminishing utility during the decade between decennial censuses; and

WHEREAS, the American Community Survey, as part of the 2010 Census Re-Engineering effort, is an alternative method of administering the long form component of the Decennial Census, which will result in yearly data releases instead of the current releases once every ten years; and

WHEREAS, questions on the American Community Survey are essentially the same as those on the Census 2000 long form, which were required by Federal laws, regulations or court decisions; and

WHEREAS, the Census Bureau will make every effort to partner with state, local and tribal government officials to educate the nation about the census and to keep our constituencies informed about the survey's uses, benefits and protections; and

WHEREAS, as the American Community Survey is a component of the decennial census, respondents will be protected by the same privacy and confidentiality protections afforded to all respondents of the traditional decennial census; and

WHEREAS, through the American Community Survey, the Census Bureau will provide data to all levels of government to empower state, local and tribal elected, appointed and career officials to track the status of the communities they serve; and

WHEREAS, the American Community Survey has demonstrated its usefulness as a decision-making tool for administrators and legislators during its testing phase with a data release that demonstrated emerging regional trends in a timely manner; and

WHEREAS, the American Community Survey will make long form socioeconomic data available to populations at all levels of geography prior to the 2010 Decennial Census; and

WHEREAS, the American Community Survey has the potential to improve the quality of redistricting data by improving mail-back response rates; and

WHEREAS, full funding is necessary to launch the American Community Survey nationwide with an adequate sample size in order to maximize its usefulness as a resource for state legislators:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby support the American Community Survey and the Census Bureau's 2010 Re-Engineering effort, and seek continued partnership with the Census Bureau as the 2010 Re-Engineering effort develops throughout the decade.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Legislature hereby urges Congress to fully fund the American Community Survey at the level requested by the Administration, and make a long-term commitment to fund this effort at adequate levels in future fiscal years.

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Mississippi Congressional Delegation.