SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on June 12 announced the creation of the California Complete Count Committee (Committee) to ensure a complete count for the 2010 Census. “Every Californian counts,” Governor Schwarzenegger said. “The Census determines how the distribution of more than $300 billion in federal funds goes to local, state and tribal governments each year in California. We must reach out to all Californians across the state to make certain everyone is counted so that California gets its fair share of federal dollars and representation in congress.”
The Committee will represent the diverse population, geography and organizations in California. Members will offer their expertise and insights to develop a robust outreach strategy that leverages and capitalizes on existing outreach and community touch points, all in an effort to avoid an undercount and the possible loss of a congressional seat. Election Data Services has reported that California may lose congressional representation for the first time in its 150 year history.
The Committee will work in close partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau to leverage federal resources at the statewide level to coordinate outreach in the most effective way possible.
The decennial Census is mandated by the U.S. Constitution and participation is required by law. The questionnaire for the upcoming 2010 Census will be one of the shortest in the history: just 10 questions that will take only 10 minutes to complete. All responses are kept strictly confidential.
Text of Executive Order:
EXECUTIVE ORDER S-10-09
WHEREAS the Constitution of the United States requires an enumeration of the population every ten years to apportion congressional representation among the states; and
WHEREAS pursuant to Section 141 of Title 13 of the United States Code, the next federal decennial census of the population will be taken on the first day of April, 2010; and
WHEREAS a complete and accurate count of California’s population is essential to the State, because the census count determines congressional representation, state redistricting, federal formula grant allocations and the distribution of state subvention funds for an entire decade until the next decennial census is taken; and
WHEREAS there are over 70 federal programs benefiting California that use census enumerations and population numbers as part of their funding formulas, including formulas for education, health, and human services programs; and
WHEREAS the United States Census Bureau will endeavor to count every person in the nation, and many states will be initiating programs to promote the census; and
WHEREAS in 2000 the Legislature allocated over $24 million in state funds to carry out a multi-cultural, multi-lingual, multi-media outreach campaign which resulted in increasing Californians’ mail-back response rate to 70 percent, up from 65 percent in 1990; and
WHEREAS it is vitally important for California to do everything it can to ensure that every Californian is counted in the upcoming census.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, Governor of the State of California, in accordance with the authority vested in me by the Constitution and statutes of the State of California, do hereby issue this Order to become effective immediately:
1. The California Complete Count Committee (Committee) is hereby established. The members of the Committee shall serve without compensation and at the pleasure of the Governor.
2. The Committee will develop, recommend, and assist in the administration of, a census outreach strategy to encourage full participation in the 2010 federal decennial census of population required by Section 141 of Title 13 of the United States Code.
3. The census outreach strategy shall include, but not be limited to, State agency initiatives to encourage participation in the 2010 Census, the establishment and support of school-based outreach programs, partnerships with non-profit community-based organizations, and a multi-lingual, multi-media campaign designed to ensure an accurate and complete count of California’s population.
4. In carrying out its duties, the Committee may appoint working groups as it deems appropriate, and shall solicit participation from relevant experts and practitioners involved in census issues.
5. The California Complete Count effort will be coordinated out of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR), which shall enlist all State agencies and departments within my administration to identify effective methods of outreach to Californians, and to provide resources to ensure the outreach program is successful and that all Californians are counted. Each agency and department within my administration shall inform OPR of their designated census coordinator for purposes of this California Complete Count effort. All agencies and departments within my administration shall cooperate with the Committee and provide support to the Committee.
6. The Committee shall submit an interim report to me by November 30, 2009, containing its recommended outreach strategy to encourage full participation and avoid an undercount in the 2010 Census. Thereafter the Committee shall submit supplemental quarterly reports to me. The Committee shall submit its final report to me no later than June 30, 2011, specifying actual outreach efforts and results which were implemented for the 2010 Census.
IT IS FURTHER REQUESTED that other entities of State government outside my administration, including other constitutional offices, the offices of the legislative and judicial branches, and local agencies, shall cooperate fully and provide support to the Committee.
This Order is not intended to create, and does not create, any rights or benefits, whether substantive or procedural, or enforceable at law or in equity, against the State of California or its agencies, departments, entities, officers, employees, or any other person.
I FURTHER ORDER that, as soon as hereafter possible, this Order be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice be given to this Order.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 12th day of June 2009.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER
Governor of California
ATTEST:
DEBRA BOWEN
Secretary of State
California Complete Count Committee 2010
Elected Officials
Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles), Speaker of the Assembly
California State Assembly
Sam Blakeslee (R-San Luis Obispo), Assembly Minority Leader
California State Assembly
Debra Bowen, Secretary of State
California Secretary of State
Edmund G. Brown Jr., Attorney General
Office of the Attorney General
John Chiang, State Controller
California State Controller’s Office
Felipe Fuentes (D-Sylmar), Assemblymember
California State Assembly
John Garamendi, Lieutenant Governor
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
Dennis Hollingsworth (R-Murietta), Senate Minority Leader
California State Senate
Bill Lockyer, State Treasurer
State Treasurer’s Office
Margaret Mims, Sheriff
Fresno County Sheriff’s Office
Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-Chino), Senator
California State Senate
Jack O’Connell, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
California Department of Education
Steve Poizner, Insurance Commissioner
California Department of Insurance
Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), President pro Tem
California State Senate
Betty T. Yee, Chair
California State Board of Equalization
Organizations
Access California Services
Nahla Kayali, Executive Director
American Association of Retired People
David Pacheco, Councilmember
American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
William Thomas, Executive Director
Asian Pacific American Legal Center of Southern California
Stewart Kwoh, President and Executive Director
Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs
C.C. Yin, Founder and Chair
California Cable and Telecommunications Association
Carolyn McIntyre, President
California Catholic Conference
Stephen Pehanich, Senior Director for Advocacy and Education
California Community Colleges
Lance Izumi, President
California Community Foundation
Antonia Hernandez, President and Chief Executive Director
California Conference of Carpenters
Daniel Curtin, Director
California Indian Manpower Consortium
Lorenda Sanchez, Executive Director
California Retailers Association
Bill Dombrowski, President and Chief Executive Director
California State Association of Counties
Paul McIntosh, Executive Director
California State Parent Teacher Association
Pam Brady, President
California Teachers Association
David Sanchez, President
CaliforniaVolunteers
Karen Baker, Secretary
Center for Disability Issues and Health Professions
Brenda Premo, Director
Congregation Kol Ami
Denise Eger, Rabbi
Consejo de Federaciones Mexicanes en Norteamerica
Arturo Carmona, Executive Director
EdVoice
Rae Belisle, President and Chief Executive Officer
Equality California
Cary Davidson, President
Greenlining Institute
Orson Aguilar, Executive Director
Housing California
Julie Spezia, Executive Director
La Cooperativa Campesina de California
Candy Pulliam, Senior Consultant of Governmental Relations
La Opinión
Monica Lozano, Chief Executive Officer
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
Nancy Ramirez, Regional Legal Counsel
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
Alice Huffman, President
National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials
Laura Barrera, Deputy Director of Civic Engagement for the Census
New America Media
Sandy Close, Executive Director
Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Governor’s Office of Planning and Research
Cynthia Bryant, Deputy Chief of Staff and Director
Pacific Gas and Electric Corporation
Nancy McFadden, Senior Vice President
Silicon Valley Leadership Group
Carl Guardino, President and Chief Executive Officer
The Los Angeles Urban League
Blair Taylor, President and Chief Executive Officer
The Observer Newspapers
Larry Lee, President
United Way of California
Judith Darnell, State Director
University of Southern California
School of Policy, Planning, and Development
Dowell Myers, Professor
University of California
Representative
California State University
Representative
Appointed members will not receive any compensation for their advisory role.
