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S4419 SCS FISCAL ESTIMATE
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.).