To make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary, except with respect to certain basic questions.

Prohibits applying any criminal penalty for refusing or willfully neglecting to answer questions (except with respect to the respondent's name and contact information, the date of the response, and the number of people living or staying at the address) in connection with the American Community Survey conducted by the Secretary of Commerce.

[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 931 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 931

   To make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary, 
            except with respect to certain basic questions.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 3, 2011

Mr. Poe of Texas (for himself, Mr. Duncan of Tennessee, Mr. Forbes, Mr. 
    Huizenga of Michigan, Mr. Sam Johnson of Texas, Mr. Coffman of 
    Colorado, Mr. Pence, Mr. Latta, Mr. Fortenberry, Mr. Jones, Mr. 
   Chaffetz, and Mr. Paul) introduced the following bill; which was 
  referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the 
   Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary, 
            except with respect to certain basic questions.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PARTICIPATION IN AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY TO BE VOLUNTARY.

    (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), no criminal 
penalty shall apply, under section 221 of title 13, United States Code, 
or any other provision of law, for refusing or willfully neglecting to 
answer questions in connection with the survey, conducted by the 
Secretary of Commerce, which is commonly referred to as the ``American 
Community Survey''.
    (b) Exceptions.--Nothing in subsection (a) shall--
            (1) apply in the case of a question that elicits only 1 or 
        more of the items of information described in subsection (c); 
        or
            (2) be considered to waive any penalty imposed by reason of 
        conduct described in section 221(b) of title 13, United States 
        Code.
    (c) Information Described.--The items of information described in 
this subsection are as follows:
            (1) The name of the respondent.
            (2) Contact information for the respondent.
            (3) The date of the response.
            (4) The number of people living or staying at the same 
        address.
                                 <all>