New Jersey Assembly Bill A3092

New Jersey 2022-2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/7/22
• Refer: 3/7/22
• Report Pass: 6/23/22
• Engrossed: 6/29/22
• Refer: 9/22/22
• Report Pass: 11/7/22
• Enrolled: 1/8/24
• Vetoed: 1/8/24
• Engrossed: 1/8/24

Caption

Requires State agencies update demographic data collection methods on Asian, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian and Indian Diaspora residents of this State.

Impact

The impact of A3092 is expected to be far-reaching in terms of state laws pertaining to demographic data collection. By requiring different state agencies to categorize and tabulate data for these groups separately, the bill seeks to not only address the underrepresentation of certain ethnicities but also provide more precise information for public policy decisions. Effectively, the changes will necessitate that reports on the ancestry or ethnic origins include detailed breakdowns that can better inform resource allocation and program development tailored to these communities' unique needs.

Summary

A3092 is a bill introduced in New Jersey that mandates updates to how state agencies collect demographic data relating to various ethnicities, specifically targeting Asian, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian communities. This legislation recognizes the significant population of these groups in New Jersey, which comprises nearly one million residents, making up about 10 percent of the state’s population. The bill aims to enhance the understanding of these diverse communities by ensuring their specific needs are reflected in the data collected.

Contention

Notable points of contention surrounding A3092 include the challenges of accurately capturing the identities of individuals within these broad multicultural groups. Critics may express concerns about the potential for categories to oversimplify diverse backgrounds and could argue about the administrative burden on state agencies to implement these changes. Additionally, there may be conversations about privacy and the handling of personal data, as the bill stipulates that identifying information must remain confidential yet accessible in aggregate form for public review.