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H.C.R. 1 Enrolled

                 

RESOLUTION URGING REWORKING OF

                 
CENSUS DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES

                 
2003 GENERAL SESSION

                 
STATE OF UTAH

                 
Sponsor: Martin R. Stephens

                  This Concurrent Resolution of the Legislature and the Governor strongly urges the
                  United States Census Bureau to review and modify the census data collection procedures
                  for the 2010 Census to account for United States Citizens who are living out of the
                  country on a temporary basis.
                  Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
                      WHEREAS, in 2000, and every preceding ten years, the United States Census Bureau
                  collected data on the citizens of the United States;
                      WHEREAS, census data is used for many purposes, including the apportionment of
                  congressional districts among the states based on population;
                      WHEREAS, if 857 more individuals had been approved to be included in the
                  population data collected for Utah in the 2000 Census, the state would have been allocated an
                  additional congressional seat;
                      WHEREAS, the United States Census Bureau's technical documentation manual for the
                  2000 Census states that Americans temporarily overseas are to be enumerated at their usual
                  residence in the United States;
                      WHEREAS, U.S. military personnel and federal civilian employees stationed outside
                  the United States and their dependents living with them, were included in the 2000 Census
                  apportionment count;
                      WHEREAS, among the several groups and individual citizens from Utah that lived out
                  of the country at the time of the 2000 Census were 11,176 members of the Church of Jesus
                  Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving temporarily as missionaries as evidenced by the Affidavit
                  of Robert B. Swensen, Director of the Missionary Department at the international headquarters
                  of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which affidavit is attached as Appendix A;
                      WHEREAS, members of the church from every state in the union serve these missions;


                      WHEREAS, although young females can serve 18-month missions and elderly couples
                  may also serve anywhere from six-month to two-year missions for the church, the vast majority
                  of missionaries are young males ages 19-21 who serve two-year missions;
                      WHEREAS, as illustrated in Appendix B, data from Census 2000 Summary File 3 show
                  that male representation in the Utah population ranges from 50-53 percent from birth through 18
                  years of age;
                      WHEREAS, the percentage of males in the Utah population who are 19 years of age
                  drops to just below 46 percent, reaches a low of 42.4 percent at age 20, and increases to 47.7
                  percent at age 21;
                      WHEREAS, beginning at age 22, the male representation in Utah returns to the 50-53
                  percent range, where it remains through age 49;
                      WHEREAS, using the Census 2000 Summary File 3 data, it is estimated that over 17,000
                  young males ages 19 through 21 were not included in Utah's census count, some of whom were
                  counted in other states' census counts but the vast majority of whom were not counted as they
                  were out of the country temporarily serving missions overseas;
                      WHEREAS, the Census 2000 Summary File 3 data clearly demonstrates the impact on
                  the state's population of the many young male members of the Church of Jesus Christ of
                  Latter-day Saints from Utah who temporarily leave the country for mission service and then
                  return;
                      WHEREAS, the present questionnaire does not provide for those Americans temporarily
                  living overseas to be enumerated at their usual residence in the United States;
                      WHEREAS, the impact of the temporary nature of this missionary service is not being
                  factored into the determination of state population for purposes of allocating congressional seats;
                  and
                      WHEREAS, the United States Census Bureau should reexamine the census data
                  collection procedures in order to collect data that captures this portion of the state's population
                  whose absence from the state is only temporary and should not be overlooked when determining
                  the apportionment of congressional seats:

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                      NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
                  Governor concurring therein, strongly urge the United States Census Bureau to review its census
                  data collection procedures and make corrections for the 2010 Census, including the census
                  questionnaire, to allow for the collection of data that recognizes the temporary nature of
                  missionary service and permits those individuals out of the country for this purpose to be
                  included in the calculation of state population.
                      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this revised system be used in future census years so
                  that all the states, including Utah, may be granted fair representation when future congressional
                  seats are allocated.
                      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to Charles Louis
                  Kincannon, Director, United States Census Bureau; Cathy McCully, Chief, Redistricting Data
                  Office; Donald L. Evans, United States Secretary of Commerce; the House and Senate
                  Congressional Committees chaired by the following: Dan Burton, Chairman, House Committee
                  on Government Reform, Dave Weldon, Chairman, Subcommittee on Civil Service, Census, and
                  Agency Organization, and Susan Collins, Chairman, Senate Committee on Government Affairs;
                  and to the members of Utah's congressional delegation.

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