Colorado's House Passes Census Outreach Bill

DENVER (AP) — Colorado's House has endorsed spending $12 million to stimulate participation in the 2020 U.S. Census, which will mostly be conducted online.

Colorado Politics reports a Democrat bill to provide grants to nonprofits and local groups to educate residents about the changes passed on Thursday.

The co-sponsors, Reps. Yadira Caraveo and Kerry Tipper, say they're concerned residents in areas underserved by internet service and other groups won't be counted.

An undercount means the loss of federal dollars to the state.

Caraveo and Tipper say the U.S. government is hiring fewer people to go house to house than in past census years.

House Republicans opposed the bill. They note the federal government plans to spend $2.8 billion on census outreach.

The Senate now acts on the bill.