SAPULPA, Okla. — The world is closer to 2030 than it is 2026. That means the Census is around the corner. Oklahoma lawmakers are already laying the groundwork.
“Oh, I have done the census, probably at least four times,” Magalie Choate said.
WATCH: GROUNDWORK: State lawmakers prepare for 2030 Census
Come 2030, Choate will fill out her fifth census.
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” the groundwork is being laid, Choate said.
Rep. Mark Lawson, the house majority leader and Sapulpa’s representative, is laying the legislative groundwork for the 2030 Census.
House bills 3620, 3621 and 3622. Some of it deals with county boundaries and mapping. Another part restructures the state’s data center.
“In no way is this close to, what people know as data centers, in the news lately,” Lawson clarified.
The state data center is housed at the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. A commerce spokesperson declined comment on pending legislation.
“The state data center has historically been the center where, all of the census activities and programs that we must administer as a state, were kind of cast to the wind,” Lawson said.
The goal is consistent, practical data.
“When it comes time to conduct a census, and knock on someone’s actual door … their physical address, it’s important that the state know who is living where … what these boundaries are, at all times, whether that’s city, county, school district,” Lawson said.
Choate understands the Census's importance.
“I think that if everyone would do it, then we could get more funds for different things that we wanna get done,” Choate said.
Another piece of Lawson’s legislation would create a revolving fund for the state’s census programs. A state fiscal impact report estimates it at $500,000.
“Regardless of who is in what office, the governor, the house of representatives, the senate, who your county commissioners are, the census is gonna take place every ten years,” Lawson said. “It’s enshrined in the United States constitution. What is important is that we have a very consistent set of rules that we follow here in the state of Oklahoma,” Lawson said.
Census day in Oklahoma is scheduled for April 1 2030. 1,474 days away, for people who are counting.
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