A bill to amend section 141 of title 13, United States Code, to provide for the transmittal of each of the several States of the tabulation of population of that State obtained in each decennial census and desired for the apportionment or districting of the legislative body or bodies of that State, in accordance with, and subject to the approval of the Secretary of Commerce, a plan and form suggested by that officer or public body having responsibility for legislative apportionment or districting of the State being tabulated.
PL 94-171 (H.R.1753), enacted 12/23/1975

PUBLIC LAW 94-171—DEC. 23, 1975 
89 STAT. 1023 
Public Law 94-171 
94th Congress 
An Act 
To amend section 141 of title 13, United States Code, to provide for the trans-
mittal to each of the several States of the tabulation of population of that 
State obtained in each decennial census and desired for the apportion-
ment or districting of the legislative body or bodies of that State, in accord-
ance with, and subject to the approval of the Secretary of Commerce, a plan 
and form suggested by that officer or public body having responsibility for 
legislative apportionment or districting of the State being tabulated, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That section 141 
of title 13, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
thereof the following new subsection: 
"(c) The officers or public bodies having initial responsibility for 
the legislative apportionment or districting of each State may, not 
later than three years prior to the census date, submit to the Secretary 
a plan identifying the geographic areas for which specific tabulations 
of population are desired. Each such plan shall be developed in accord-
ance with criteria established by the Secretary, which he shall furnish 
to such officers or public bodies not later than April 1 of the fourth 
year preceding the census date. Such criteria shall include require-
ments which assure that such plan shall be developed in a nonpartisan 
manner. Should the Secretary find that a plan submitted by such 
officers or public bodies does not meet the criteria established by 
him, he shall consult to the extent necessary with such officers or public 
Bodies in order to achieve the alterations in such plan that he deems 
necessary to bring it into accord with such criteria. Any issues with 
respect to such plan remaining unresolved after such consultation 
shall be resolved by the Secretary, and in all cases he shall have final 
authority for determining the geographic format of such plan. Tab-
ulations of population for the areas identified in any plan approved 
by the Secretary shall be completed by him as expeditiously as pos-
sible after the census date and reported to the Governor of the State 
involved and the officers or public bodies having responsibility for 
legislative apportionment or districting of such State, except that 
such tabulations of population of each State requesting a tabulation 
plan, and basic tabulations of population of each other State, shall, 
in any event, be completed, reported and transmitted to each respec-
tive State within one year after the census date.". 
Dec. 23, 1975 
[H.R. 1753] 
Population, 
tabulation for 
State legislative 
apportionment. 
89 STAT. 1024 
PUBLIC LAW 94-171—DEC. 23, 1975 
SEC. 2. (a) The heading for section 141 of title 13, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end thereof the following: 
"; tabulation for legislative apportionment". 
(b) The table of sections for chapter 5 of title 13, United States 
Code, is amended by striking out the item relating to section 141 
and inserting in lieu thereof the following: 
"141. Population, unemployment, and housing; tabulation for legislative 
apportionment.". 
Approved December 23, 1975. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
HOUSE REPORT No. 94-456 (Comm. on Post Office and Civil Service). 
SENATE REPORT No. 94-539 (Comm. on Post Office and Civil Service). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 121 (1975): 
Nov. 7, considered and passed House. 
Dec. 15, considered and passed Senate.