1.1 	A resolution
1.2 	memorializing the United States Secretary of Commerce to reject a request to include 
1.3 	a citizenship question on the 2020 Census; urging the President and Congress of the 
1.4 	United States to take necessary steps to prevent a citizenship question or other actions 
1.5 	that could undercount the whole number of persons in each state in the 2020 Census 
1.6 	results.
1.7 	WHEREAS, the United States Constitution requires the federal government to conduct an 
1.8 	enumeration of the whole number of persons in each state, every ten years; and
1.9 	WHEREAS, the next decennial enumeration of persons is scheduled to be conducted by the 
1.10 	United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, on April 1, 2020; and
1.11 	WHEREAS, it is the mission of the Bureau of the Census to serve as the "leading source of 
1.12 	quality data about the nation's people and economy"; and
1.13 	WHEREAS, collecting quality data about the whole number of persons in each state requires 
1.14 	a system of data collection that ensures an accurate and complete count; and
1.15 	WHEREAS, all states, including Minnesota, rely on the Bureau of the Census to collect 
1.16 	accurate and complete data to ensure equity in implementing federal and state programs, including 
1.17 	programs supported by federal funds; and
1.18 	WHEREAS, all states, including Minnesota, additionally rely on the quality of the Bureau 
1.19 	of the Census' data to ensure an accurate and equitable apportionment of representation in the United 
1.20 	States Congress; and
1.21 	WHEREAS; the United States Department of Justice has requested that a question related 
1.22 	to a respondent's citizenship status be included as part of the 2020 Census questionnaire; and
1.23 	WHEREAS; adding a citizenship question at this late date would fatally undermine the 
1.24 	accuracy of the 2020 Census by depressing participation, causing a population undercount that 
2.1 	would disproportionately harm states and cities with large immigrant communities, including 
2.2 	Minnesota; and
2.3 	WHEREAS; adding a citizenship question would additionally hamper the goals of the federal 
2.4 	Voting Rights Act, including the goal of ensuring fair and effective representation for all 
2.5 	communities; and
2.6 	WHEREAS; adding a citizenship question is inconsistent with the Bureau of the Census' 
2.7 	obligation under federal law to ensure that the information they disseminate is "accurate, reliable, 
2.8 	and objective"; and
2.9 	WHEREAS; the Bureau of the Census' own information quality guidelines disfavor questions 
2.10 	that diminish response rates; NOW, THEREFORE,
2.11 	BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota that it respectfully urges 
2.12 	the United States Secretary of Commerce to reject the request by the Department of Justice to 
2.13 	include a citizenship question on the 2020 Census.
2.14 	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the State of Minnesota respectfully 
2.15 	urges the President of the United States and the Congress of the United States to take necessary 
2.16 	steps to prevent the Bureau of the Census from including a citizenship question on the 2020 Census, 
2.17 	or taking any other action that could result in lower response rates or a population undercount that 
2.18 	does not accurately reflect the whole number of persons in each state.
2.19 	BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of the State of Minnesota is directed 
2.20 	to prepare copies of this memorial and transmit them to the United States Secretary of Commerce, 
2.21 	the President of the United States, the President and the Secretary of the United States Senate, the 
2.22 	Speaker and the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, and Minnesota's Senators 
2.23 	and Representatives in Congress.