II 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 3133 

To amend chapter 7 of title 13, United States Code, to prohibit certain 

deceptive practices in relation to a census, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 2, 2021 

Mr. SCHATZ (for himself, Mr. CASEY, and Ms. WARREN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend chapter 7 of title 13, United States Code, to 

prohibit certain deceptive practices in relation to a census, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Honest Census Com5 munications Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON DECEPTIVE PRACTICES RELAT2 ING TO CENSUS. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 7 of title 13, United 

4 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol5 lowing: 

6 ‘‘SUBCHAPTER IV—DECEPTIVE PRACTICES 

7 ‘‘§ 251. Prohibition on deceptive practices 

8 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 

9 ‘‘(1) the term ‘census’ means any census under 

10 this title, including the decennial census of popu11 lation; 

12 ‘‘(2) the term ‘census-related information’ 

13 means any information regarding— 

14 ‘‘(A) the time, place, or manner of holding 

15 any census; or 

16 ‘‘(B) the qualifications for, or restrictions 

17 on, participation in any census; and 

18 ‘‘(3) the term ‘covered communication’ means 

19 any— 

20 ‘‘(A) written communication; 

21 ‘‘(B) electronic or digital communication, 

22 including a communication through a website, 

23 application, online forum, social media plat24 form, streaming service, or other means of com25 munications using the internet or a similar 

26 communications network; or 


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1 ‘‘(C) telephonic communication, including 

2 any phone call, text message, or other commu3 nication sent, received, or transmitted using a 

4 wireless or wireline phone or a cellular or other 

5 phone network. 

6 ‘‘(b) PROHIBITION.—It shall be unlawful for any per7 son, whether acting under color of law or otherwise, to 

8 communicate or cause to be communicated any census-re9 lated information by any means, including by means of 

10 any covered communication, or to produce any census-re11 lated information with the intent that the census-related 

12 information be communicated— 

13 ‘‘(1) knowing the census-related information to 

14 be materially false; and 

15 ‘‘(2) with the intent to impede or prevent an16 other person from participating in any census. 

17 ‘‘(c) CRIMINAL PENALTIES.—Any individual who vio18 lates subsection (b) shall be fined in the amount equal to 

19 the maximum penalty provided under subsection (d), im20 prisoned for not more than 5 years, or both. 

21 ‘‘(d) CIVIL PENALTIES.—A civil penalty of not more 

22 than $11,181 may be assessed against any individual who 

23 violates subsection (b).’’. 


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1 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

2 for chapter 7 of title 13, United States Code, is amended 

3 by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘SUBCHAPTER IV—DECEPTIVE PRACTICES

‘‘251. Prohibition on deceptive practices.’’. 

Æ 


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