LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE, No. 4419

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

 

DATED: JUNE 26, 2026

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis:

“Everyone Counts in New Jersey Act”; establishes “New Jersey Census Complete Count Commission,” “New Jersey Office of Census,” and “New Jersey Census Complete Count Trust Fund.”

Type of Impact:

Annual State expenditure increase.

Agencies Affected:

New Jersey Census Complete Count Commission, New Jersey Office of the Census, and New Jersey Census Complete Count Trust Fund in the Department of State.

 

 

Office of Legislative Services Estimate

Fiscal Impact

Year 1 

Year 2 

Year 3 

 

State Expenditure Increase

Up to $750,000

Up to $1.0 million

Up to $1.0 million

 

 

·         The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates that establishing the New Jersey Census Complete Count Commission, the New Jersey Office of the Census, and the New Jersey Census Complete Count Trust Fund will increase annual State expenditures by up to $750,000 in the year following the bill’s passage to cover salaries and wages, technology, and marketing costs for the new office.

·         The annual State expenditure increase in subsequent years may be up to $1.0 million, in order to support program development and outreach efforts.

 

 

BILL DESCRIPTION

 

      This bill, 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.

      The commission will consist of 29 members, who will serve without compensation, but will be entitled to reimbursement for any actual or necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, within the limits of funds available to the commission. The commission will be responsible for developing, recommending, and assisting 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.

      The bill also establishes in the Department of State the New Jersey Office of the Census.  Under the bill, the Secretary of State will appoint an office director and an official State demographer within the New Jersey Office of the Census.  The State demographer will 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.

      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.  

 

 

FISCAL ANALYSIS

 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

 

        None received.

 

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

 

      The OLS estimates that establishing the New Jersey Census Complete Count Commission, the New Jersey Office of the Census, and the New Jersey Census Complete Count Trust Fund will increase State annual expenditures by up to $750,000 in the year following the bill’s passage to cover salaries and wages, technology, and marketing costs for the new office.                                             The annual State expenditure increase in subsequent years may be up to $1.0 million, in order to support program development and outreach efforts.                                                                        According to the Department of State, the Complete Count Commission that was established to promote census participation prior to the 2020 federal decennial census of the population, spent $500,000 in FY 2019, the bulk of which paid for marketing and media costs.  That commission relied on department staff to carry out its statutory duties and did not hire a director or assistant director as required under this bill.                                                                                                     During FY 2020, the last commission spent $9 million to promote census participation in a campaign that included: $5 million for grants to non-profit organizations across the State and $4 million for marketing and advertising, administration, staffing, reporting, and infrastructure.  For informational purposes only, the OLS notes that during the last cycle, the department recommended that funding be increased in future census campaigns to promote outreach over a full two-year census campaign cycle. 


 

Section:

State Government

Analyst:

Anna Harris

Associate Fiscal Analyst

Approved:

Thomas Koenig

Legislative Budget and Finance Officer

 

 

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

 

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).