H.C.R. 1

1

RESOLUTION URGING REWORKING OF
2 CENSUS DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES
3 2003 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: Martin R. Stephens
6 This Concurrent Resolution of the Legislature and the Governor strongly urges the
7 United States Census Bureau to review and modify the census data collection procedures
8 for the 2010 Census to account for United States Citizens who are living out of the
9 country on a temporary basis.
10 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
11 WHEREAS, in 2000, and every preceding ten years, the United States Census Bureau
12 collected data on the citizens of the United States;
13 WHEREAS, census data is used for many purposes, including the apportionment of
14 congressional districts among the states based on population;
15 WHEREAS, if 857 more individuals had been approved to be included in the
16 population data collected for Utah in the 2000 Census, the state would have been allocated an
17 additional congressional seat;
18 WHEREAS, the United States Census Bureau's technical documentation manual for the
19 2000 Census states that Americans temporarily overseas are to be enumerated at their usual
20 residence in the United States;
21 WHEREAS, U.S. military personnel and federal civilian employees stationed outside
22 the United States and their dependents living with them, were included in the 2000 Census
23 apportionment count;
24 WHEREAS, among the several groups and individual citizens from Utah that lived out
25 of the country at the time of the 2000 Census were 11,176 members of the Church of Jesus
26 Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving temporarily as missionaries as evidenced by the Affidavit
27 of Robert B. Swensen, Director of the Missionary Department at the international headquarters

28 of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which affidavit is attached as Appendix A;
29 WHEREAS, members of the church from every state in the union serve these missions;
30 WHEREAS, although young females can serve 18-month missions and elderly couples
31 may also serve anywhere from six-month to two-year missions for the church, the vast majority
32 of missionaries are young males ages 19-21 who serve two-year missions;
33 WHEREAS, as illustrated in Appendix B, data from Census 2000 Summary File 3
34 show that male representation in the Utah population ranges from 50-53 percent from birth
35 through 18 years of age;
36 WHEREAS, the percentage of males in the Utah population who are 19 years of age
37 drops to just below 46 percent, reaches a low of 42.4 percent at age 20, and increases to 47.7
38 percent at age 21;
39 WHEREAS, beginning at age 22, the male representation in Utah returns to the 50-53
40 percent range, where it remains through age 49;
41 WHEREAS, using the Census 2000 Summary File 3 data, it is estimated that over
42 17,000 young males ages 19 through 21 were not included in Utah's census count, some of
43 whom were counted in other states' census counts but the vast majority of whom were not
44 counted as they were out of the country temporarily serving missions overseas;
45 WHEREAS, the Census 2000 Summary File 3 data clearly demonstrates the impact on
46 the state's population of the many young male members of the Church of Jesus Christ of
47 Latter-day Saints from Utah who temporarily leave the country for mission service and then
48 return;
49 WHEREAS, the present questionnaire does not provide for those Americans
50 temporarily living overseas to be enumerated at their usual residence in the United States;
51 WHEREAS, the impact of the temporary nature of this missionary service is not being
52 factored into the determination of state population for purposes of allocating congressional
53 seats; and
54 WHEREAS, the United States Census Bureau should reexamine the census data
55 collection procedures in order to collect data that captures this portion of the state's population
56 whose absence from the state is only temporary and should not be overlooked when
57 determining the apportionment of congressional seats:
58 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the

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




Legislative Review Note
as of 11-20-02 4:09 PM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel

Legislative Committee Note
as of 12-11-02 9:59 AM

The Legislative Management Committee recommended this bill.