How HR 181 changes current law

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill limits the applicability of penalties for refusing to answer certain census questions, specifying conditions under which penalties will apply.

• 13 U.S.C. § 221

  (d)(1) The penalty under subsection (a) shall not apply to any individual who refuses or neglects to answer any question in a questionnaire, schedule, or the survey commonly referred to as the `American Community Survey' used in connection with any decennial census, except to the extent necessary to allow the Government to obtain the information needed for the enumeration of-- (A) the population, as required by the Constitution of the United States; and (B) citizen and noncitizen populations.

  This addition specifies that penalties for not answering certain census questions do not apply unless it's necessary for population enumeration.

• 13 U.S.C. § 221

  (2) For purposes of this subsection, only questions included on a decennial census short form regarding enumeration of the household and citizenship status shall be considered necessary to permit such an enumeration.

  This defines which questions are considered necessary for enumeration, further limiting the scope of penalties.