A. The Legislature finds that the United States Census Bureau has initiated a number of reform efforts related to the means by which information is compiled, analyzed and reported by the Bureau, including changes in the terminology used by the Bureau to describe the methods by which data is compiled, analyzed and reported. The Legislature finds that numerous statutory provisions make direct or indirect reference to the United States Census or to the United States Census Bureau and to the information which is compiled and reported by the Bureau. The Legislature finds that there is a need to allow for flexible interpretation of statutory provisions based upon changes in terminology used by the United States Census Bureau. Periodic changes in terminology or methodology with respect to demographic and economic data gathered by the federal government should not require frequent amendments to state statutory provisions. The Legislature finds that it is desirable public policy and in the interest of established principles of statutory construction to enact the provisions of this section due to the need for consistent interpretation of statutory provisions which rely for operative effect upon specific information, such as population.

B. Unless a statutory provision relies for its operative effect on a population count contained in a Federal Decennial Census or a population count determined by using data from the United States Census Bureau, a reference in the Oklahoma Statutes to the “census”, the “Federal Decennial Census” or other similar reference shall include any applicable means or method used by the United States Census Bureau to report demographic or economic information.

C. Statutory provisions which contain a reference to a specific population count or population range shall not be considered to have been modified because of a change in terminology by the United States Census Bureau or as a result of the provisions of this section.