A bill to make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary, except with respect to certain basic questions, and for other purposes.

Bill: 113-s-530
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY]
Introduced: 2013-03-12
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Census and government statistics
Latest action: action_date: 2013-03-12
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2013-03-12
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>Requires the Secretary of Commerce, in conducting any survey relating to the Census, to include in instructions for completing any such survey that participation in the survey is optional, except that survey respondents must provide their names, contract information, the date of response, and the number of people living or staying at the same addresses where the respondents reside. Prohibits any person participating in a survey from being fined or otherwise compelled to answer questions in connection with the survey (except for the basic questions permitted by this Act).</p>

tv_txt: II 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 530 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 12, 2013 Mr. Paul (for himself, Mr. McConnell , Mr. Vitter , and Mr. Johanns ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs A BILL To make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary, except with respect to certain basic questions, and for other purposes.

1. Participation in American Community Survey (a) Optional questions Section 193 of title 13, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: The Secretary shall include, in the instructions for completing any survey authorized under this section, a statement indicating that answering any question other than questions that solicit the information described in section 221(c)(2)(A) is optional. . (b) Refusal To participate Section 221 of title 13, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a), by striking Whoever, being over eighteen years of age, and inserting Except as provided in subsection (c), any person older than 18 years of age who ; and (2) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows: (c) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision under this title— (A) no person may be compelled to disclose information relative to the person's religious beliefs or to membership in a religious body; and (B) except as provided in paragraph (2), no person may be fined or otherwise compelled to answer questions in connection with the survey, conducted by the Secretary of Commerce, which is commonly referred to as the American Community Survey . (2) Paragraph (1)(B)— (A) shall not apply to any question that elicits— (i) the name of the respondent; (ii) contact information for the respondent; (iii) the date of the response; or (iv) the number of people living or staying at the same address; and (B) does not waive any penalty imposed for conduct described in subsection (b). .