Sponsors (5)
The bill strengthens individual choice and clarifies that ACS participation is voluntary, but that clarity risks lower response rates that could degrade data quality for funding and planning and raise census costs.
Households and taxpayers can decline to answer American Community Survey (ACS) questions without facing fines, protecting individual choice and privacy.
State and local governments (and their residents) will see the ACS explicitly state participation is voluntary, reducing confusion and potential intimidation when census workers contact respondents.
State and local governments, schools, and communities that rely on ACS-derived data may receive weaker or less accurate data used for federal funding and program allocation, harming service planning and resource distribution.
Taxpayers could face higher Census Bureau costs because lower response rates may require more follow-up operations or costly statistical adjustments to fill data gaps.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Makes the American Community Survey voluntary, removes statutory penalties for nonresponse, and requires a voluntary-participation statement on the survey and successors.
Makes the American Community Survey (ACS) explicitly voluntary by removing the statutory penalty for refusing or failing to answer ACS questions and requires the Commerce Secretary to include a clear statement on the ACS (and any successor survey) that participation is voluntary. Also establishes a short title for the Act. The bill amends Title 13 of the U.S. Code to carve the ACS out of the penalty provisions that apply to certain Census surveys and to require a voluntary-participation notice on the survey instrument or materials.
Introduced January 28, 2025 by James Risch · Last progress January 28, 2025