In September, the United States Census Bureau announced proposed changes to the operations of the 2030 Census and sought public comments on the proposals. The Census has significant impacts on our day-to-day lives. Many people know of its use in redistricting, but the Census is also used to distribute federal dollars for programs like the Children’s Health Insurance Program, by local governments in planning infrastructure, and by nonprofits like Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families when trying to understand the needs of kids and families in our communities.
Not having an accurate Census count that looks at the full population of the state can have serious consequences. In 2020, Arkansas had the highest undercount in the nation costing us $5 billion over the decade by one estimate. Arkansas Advocates is very concerned about how the proposed changes to the Census could impact critical programs for children, but also our understanding of our communities.
Click here to read the comments we submitted to the Census Bureau.
Thanks to everyone who submitted public comments to the Census Bureau. If you missed the opportunity and want to know when we have action alerts, please sign up for our Action Alert email list!
