The U.S. Census Bureau continues to make changes ahead of the 2030 Census. However, a new rule proposed on September 10, Decennial Census of the Population of Americans; Proposed Residence Criteria and Proposed Regulations for Demographic Questions, would dramatically change the administration of the decennial census.
In addition to being the foundation of political apportionment and representation, the population count in each decennial census is the common denominator in nearly every aspect of public life. This proposed rule would change how “usual residence” is determined, the criteria that set standards to ensure that everyone is counted in the right place. Choosing to rely primarily on tax records would impact several groups such as military families, college students, hospitalized people, foster children, and families in shared or complex living arrangements. Additionally, the proposed three-month period for determining residence is not consistent with the statute that requires that residence be determined as of April 1 of that year.
The new rule also proposes to exclude some noncitizens from congressional apportionment counts. This is inconsistent with constitutional mandates and could have a chilling effect more broadly on the accuracy and completeness of the decennial census. It also proposes removing race and ethnicity questions from the decennial census form, meaning the U.S. will no longer have data on race and ethnicity for its entire population.
These proposed changes raise important questions about ensuring a complete and accurate count for children and other historically undercounted populations. The proposal would increase the number of children who would not be counted, which will have potentially devastating impacts on funding for children.
Our work to advance equitable policy solutions and prioritize the well-being of Pennsylvania children and families is as important as ever. The U.S. Census Bureau’s decennial census and its surveys produce critical, timely data about the demographic, housing, financial, and social characteristics of our nation and state communities. We need these resources to achieve our goals and mission at PPC.
The goal of every census is to “count everyone once, only once, and in the right place.” Under these proposed rules, people will not be counted and the fallout from losing an accurate count of the population will be severe.