HB 2053 — An Act amending Title 71 (State Government) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, establishing the Pennsylvania Census Commission; and imposing duties on the Joint State Government Commission.

PRINTER'S NO.   2631

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 2053
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY GROVE, NOVEMBER 19, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, NOVEMBER 19, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 71 (State Government) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, establishing the Pennsylvania Census
 3      Commission; and imposing duties on the Joint State Government
 4      Commission.
 5      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 6   hereby enacts as follows:
 7      Section 1.    Title 71 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 8   Statutes is amended by adding a chapter to read:
 9                                CHAPTER 43
10                      PENNSYLVANIA CENSUS COMMISSION
11   Sec.
12   4301.   Definitions.
13   4302.   Pennsylvania Census Commission.
14   4303.   Report on census activities.
15   § 4301.   Definitions.
16      The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
17   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
18   context clearly indicates otherwise:
19      "Commission."    The Pennsylvania Census Commission established
 1   under section 4302 (relating to Pennsylvania Census Commission).
 2   § 4302.    Pennsylvania Census Commission.
 3      (a)    Establishment.--The Pennsylvania Census Commission is
 4   established within the Joint State Government Commission.
 5      (b)    Membership.--The commission shall be composed of the
 6   following members:
 7             (1)    The Governor or a designee.
 8             (2)    The Secretary of Agriculture or a designee.
 9             (3)    The Secretary of Community and Economic Development
10      or a designee.
11             (4)    The Secretary of Corrections or a designee.
12             (5)    The Secretary of Human Services or a designee.
13             (6)    The Secretary of Labor and Industry or a designee.
14             (7)    The President pro tempore of the Senate or a
15      designee.
16             (8)    The Minority Leader of the Senate or a designee.
17             (9)    The Speaker of the House of Representatives or a
18      designee.
19             (10)    The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives
20      or a designee.
21             (11)    Eleven other members appointed by the Governor and
22      confirmed by the Senate which shall include members who:
23                    (i)    Represent a rural community.
24                    (ii)    Represent an urban community.
25                    (iii)    Represent a suburban community.
26                    (iv)    Represent the following regions of this
27             Commonwealth:
28                           (A)   The northeastern region.
29                           (B)   The northwestern region.
30                           (C)   The southcentral region.

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 1                     (D)   The southeastern region.
 2                     (E)   The southwestern region.
 3      (c)   Duties.--The commission shall have the following duties:
 4            (1)   Advise the Governor and the General Assembly on
 5      census activities within the Commonwealth.
 6            (2)   Identify barriers that might impede the progress of
 7      future Federal decennial censuses in this Commonwealth.
 8            (3)   Promote and advertise future Federal decennial
 9      censuses.
10            (4)   Respond to residents' questions and concerns about a
11      census.
12            (5)   Develop partnerships with regional and local
13      Complete Count Committees to increase participation in the
14      census.
15            (6)   Distribute and share census information with
16      traditionally hard-to-count areas and populations.
17            (7)   Seek to ensure the highest census participation rate
18      possible.
19            (8)   Gather information and produce reports under section
20      4303 (relating to report on census activities).
21      (d)   Quorum.--A majority of appointed members shall
22   constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business.
23      (e)   Chairperson and vice chairperson.--The members shall
24   select a chairperson and vice chairperson from among the
25   membership of the commission.
26      (f)   Transparency and ethics.--The commission shall be
27   subject to the following laws:
28            (1)   The act of July 19, 1957 (P.L.1017, No.451), known
29      as the State Adverse Interest Act.
30            (2)   The act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as

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 1      the Right-to-Know Law.
 2             (3)   65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating to open meetings).
 3      (g)    Information gathering.--The commission shall use data
 4   from the Pennsylvania State Data Center and may conduct hearings
 5   and otherwise gather additional relevant information and
 6   analysis that the commission considers appropriate and
 7   necessary.
 8      (h)    Reimbursement.--Members of the commission shall be
 9   reimbursed for reasonable expenses.
10   § 4303.    Report on census activities.
11      (a)    Annual report.--The commission shall gather and issue an
12   annual report on the commission's findings by December 1, 2025,
13   and each December 1 thereafter.
14      (b)    Additional reports.--In addition to the commission's
15   annual report, the commission shall gather and issue the
16   following reports:
17             (1)   Previous Federal decennial census activities and
18      results by January 1, 2026, and each January 1 thereafter
19      that begins 48 months prior to the start of a future Federal
20      decennial census year.
21             (2)   A preliminary plan for a future Federal decennial
22      census by January 1, 2027, and each January 1 thereafter that
23      begins 36 months prior to the start of a future Federal
24      decennial census year.
25             (3)   A final plan for a future Federal decennial census
26      by July 1, 2027, and each July 1 thereafter that begins 36
27      months prior to the start of a future Federal decennial
28      census year.
29             (4)   An implementation plan for a future Federal
30      decennial census by January 1, 2028, and each January 1

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 1      thereafter that begins 24 months prior to the start of a
 2      future Federal decennial census year.
 3            (5)   Funding recommendation plan for a future Federal
 4      decennial census by July 1, 2028, and each July 1 thereafter
 5      that begins 24 months prior to the start of a future Federal
 6      decennial census year.
 7      (c)   Submission of reports.--The reports under this section
 8   shall be reported to:
 9            (1)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
10      Appropriations Committee of the Senate.
11            (2)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
12      Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives.
13            (3)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
14      State Government Committee of the Senate.
15            (4)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
16      State Government Committee of the House of Representatives.
17      (d)   Reports made publicly available.--A copy of all reports
18   under this section shall be made publicly available by being
19   posted on the Joint State Government Commission's publicly
20   accessible Internet website.
21      Section 2.    This act shall take effect immediately.




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