ASSEMBLY STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

ASSEMBLY, No. 1730

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 15, 2026

      The Assembly State and Local Government Committee reports favorably an Assembly Committee Substitute for Assembly Bill No. 1730.

      As reported by the committee, this committee substitute, designated as the “Everyone Counts in New Jersey Act,” establishes the “New Jersey Census Complete Count Commission,” the “New Jersey Office of the Census,” and the “New Jersey Census Complete Count Trust Fund” to achieve a full count of the State’s population for each federal decennial census.

      Under the bill, within 60 days after the effective date of the bill, and not later than April 1 of the fourth year preceding the conduct of each federal decennial census thereafter, a “New Jersey Complete Count Commission” will be created in, but not of, the Department of State.  Each commission will expire on December 31 of the year in which the federal decennial census occurs.

The commission will consist of 29 members, and all appointments to the commission will be made within 90 days after the day on which the commission is established for the next federal decennial census.  The commission will organize within 30 days after the appointment of its members. The commission will meet at the call of the chairperson, who will be the Secretary of State, or upon the request of any 15 members of the commission, who will constitute a quorum.

      The bill requires the commission to develop, recommend, and assist in the administration of a census outreach strategy to encourage full participation in the federal decennial census of population.  The outreach strategy will be coordinated through the Office of the Secretary of State, which will provide administrative support to the commission and coordinate with all State agencies and constitutional officers, as well as units of local government, to identify effective methods of outreach to New Jersey’s population and to provide resources to ensure that the outreach strategy is successful and that all New Jersey residents are counted.  All State agencies will provide the Office of the Secretary of State with the information for their designated census coordinator, cooperate with the commission, and provide support to the commission.

      The bill establishes in the Department of State the “New Jersey Office of the Census.”  The Secretary of State will appoint a director of the office to accomplish the responsibilities set forth in the bill.  The Secretary of State will also appoint an official State demographer within the New Jersey Office of the Census to coordinate census preparation efforts and publish any follow-up reports.  The Secretary of State will have the power to assign functions to the office and may appoint staff, agents, and consultants, prescribe the duties of the office, and fix their compensation within the limit of funds appropriated for such purposes.  The bill prescribes the responsibilities of the office, which will include, but not be limited to, promoting a government-wide effort to achieve a complete count of New Jersey residents for each federal decennial census, coordinating with the New Jersey Complete Count Commission to complete the obligations of the commission and to establish a New Jersey Census Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, and assisting in the administration of census outreach efforts.

The New Jersey Office of the Census is to provide any materials and data requested, including, but not limited to, demographic analyses and population estimates completed in accordance with the office’s duties, to be included in a publicly accessible database maintained and administered by the Department of State.

      The bill also establishes in the Department of State a “New Jersey Census Complete Count Trust Fund,” into which will be appropriated from the State General Fund the sum of $1 million annually.  All interest or other income or earnings derived from the investment or reinvestment of moneys in the fund will be credited to the fund.  Moneys in the fund will be used by the Department of State to fund State, local, and community efforts to achieve the full count of the State’s population in each federal decennial census.