Kopp v. State

I dissent from the majority’s conclusion that a population estimate approved by the United States Bureau of Census for use in administering various federal programs is the “special census” to which the Idaho legislature referred in. I.C. § 23-903. A brief review of the ordinary meaning of “census,” the state of the law at the time the term “special census” was added to the Idaho statute, and the federal statutory provisions make apparent the error in the majority’s reasoning.

The word “census” is derived from the Latin word “censere,” meaning to count or to reckon, and in the Roman language…