[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 93 (Monday, May 15, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25884-25885]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-11490]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of the Census
[Docket No. 950426115-5115-01]
2000 Census Public Law 94-171 Program
AGENCY: Bureau of the Census, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of program.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Under the provisions of Public Law 94-171 (Title 13, United
States Code, Section 141 (c)), the Director of the Census Bureau is
required to provide the ``officers or public bodies with initial
responsibility for legislative apportionment or districting of each
state . . .'' with the opportunity to specify the small geographic
areas (for example, election precincts, voting districts, wards) for
which they wish to receive decennial census population totals for the
purpose of reapportionment or redistricting.
By April 1 of the year following the decennial census, the Director
is required to furnish these state officials or their designees with
population totals for standard census areas (for example, counties,
cities, census tracts, and blocks) and for state-specified voting
districts (for example, election precincts, wards) that meet Census
Bureau technical criteria as established [[Page 25885]] under the
provisions of Public Law 94-171. Therefore, in accordance with these
provisions of Public Law 94-171 (Title 13, United States Code, Section
141 (c)), the Director of the Census Bureau is announcing the
establishment of the 2000 Census Redistricting Data Program.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marshall L. Turner, Jr., Chief, Census
2000 Redistricting Data Office, U.S. Bureau of the Census, Washington,
DC 20233. Telephone (301) 457-4039; fax (301) 457-4348; email
mturner@census.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As in the 1990 census, the 2000 Census
Redistricting Data Program will have three phases.
Phase 1
Block Boundary Suggestion Project (BBSP). Beginning in late summer
1995, states choosing to participate will begin to receive, on a flow
basis, new census map sheets showing natural (for example, rivers,
streams) and constructed (for example, streets, highways, canals)
features that are visible on the ground. States will be asked to
specify which of these features they wish the Census Bureau to ``hold''
as outer boundaries of census blocks to be used in the 2000 census.
If states do not take part in the BBSP, the Census Bureau cannot
ensure that the 2000 census blocks can be cumulated to provide census
population totals for local voting districts (VTDs) used by the state
to redistrict the legislature or other elective bodies.
Phase 2
Voting District Project (VTDP). Beginning in mid-1998, the Census
Bureau will provide requesting states with map sheets outlining the
boundaries of blocks to be used in the 2000 census. Participating
states can specify which whole blocks make up each designated VTD.
States cannot subdivide whole census blocks during the VTDP.
Phase 3
Delivery of Census 2000 Redistricting Data. By the legal deadline
of April 1, 2001 (Title 13, United States Code, Section 141(c)), the
Census Bureau will provide to the governor, legislature, or other
bodies having initial responsibility for redistricting/reapportionment,
census 2000 population totals for the state, each county, city, town,
census tract, census block, and any state-specified VTDs that meet the
technical criteria established by the Census Bureau under the
provisions of this law.
In accordance with the provisions of Public Law 94-171 (Title 13,
United States Code, Section 141 (c)), the Director of the Census Bureau
is announcing the commencement of Phase 1, the Block Boundary
Suggestion Project, of the 2000 Census Redistricting Data Program. The
Census Bureau has provided technical guidelines for state participation
in the BBSP to the governor, secretary of state, and majority and
minority legislative leaders of each state legislature. Copies of these
guidelines are available on request from the Director, U.S. Bureau of
the Census, Washington, DC 20233.
If a state plans to participate in the BBSP, the Census Bureau asks
the governor and the majority and minority legislative leaders (as well
as any other state officials with initial responsibility for
reapportionment/redistricting) to designate jointly a contact person or
persons with whom Census Bureau staff will communicate for this
Program. The deadline for states to notify the Census Bureau that they
wish to participate in the BBSP is June 30, 1995. In late summer of
1995 the Census Bureau will begin to transmit census maps to the
participating states for BBSP.
In mid-1997 the Census Bureau will announce the technical and other
criteria for participation in Phase 2, the Voting District Project. The
VTDP will take place in 1998-1999. Participation in the BBSP is not a
prerequisite for participation in Phases 2 or 3 of the Public Law 94-
171 Program. A state may decide not to participate in the BBSP
activities but later participate in the VTDP and submit VTD boundaries
using groups of whole \1\ census blocks as shown on census maps.
\1\ States may not split whole census blocks. However, states
may use any parts of blocks that are shown on census maps. These
``parts'' result from Census Bureau splits required to recognize
standard census tabulation areas such as counties, cities, and
towns.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phase 3 will begin in early 2001. By April 1 of 2001, the Director
of the Census Bureau will, in accordance with Public Law 94-171,
furnish the governor and state legislative leaders, both majority and
minority, with 2000 census population totals for standard census
tabulation areas (for example, counties, cities, towns, census tracts,
and blocks) and for any VTDs that the state submitted and the Census
Bureau accepted during Phase 2. If the state does not participate in
Phase 2, the state need take no further action. The Director of the
Census Bureau will provide these nonparticipating states with 2000
census population totals for standard census tabulation areas (for
example, counties, cities, towns, and so forth) and census blocks
statewide by April 1, 2001.
State participation in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the 2000 Census
Redistricting Data Program under Public Law 94-171 is voluntary. A
state may choose to limit its participation to only Phase 1 or Phase 2
and may elect to include only selected areas (that is, whole counties
or parishes) when participating. Address questions concerning any
aspect of the 2000 Census Redistricting Data Program to the Director,
U.S. Bureau of the Census, Washington, DC 20233.
Dated: May 2, 1995.
Martha Farnsworth Riche,
Director, Bureau of the Census.
[FR Doc. 95-11490 Filed 5-12-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P
