The Restoring the Representation of Legal Residents Act mandates that the Secretary of State adjust census apportionment and redistricting data to exclude the illegal alien population for the purposes of apportionment and redistricting in New Jersey. This adjustment is deemed necessary to ensure that legal residents are fairly represented in congressional, state legislative, and local districts, as the current census data includes all individuals residing in the state, including illegal aliens. The bill emphasizes that the inclusion of illegal aliens in census counts disproportionately affects the political representation of legal residents in areas with fewer illegal aliens.

To implement this adjustment, the Secretary of State is required to develop an accurate count of the legal population using various datasets, including data from the United States Bureau of the Census and the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. The bill also stipulates that if the U.S. Census Bureau provides a count of legal residents that excludes illegal aliens, this count will be used for apportionment and redistricting purposes instead. The act is designed to take effect immediately upon passage.