S 265119th CongressIn Committee

Freedom from Government Surveys Act

Introduced: Jan 28, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Freedom from Government Surveys Act would make participation in the American Community Survey (ACS) voluntary. It adds a provision that removes penalties for failing to respond to the ACS and requires the Census Secretary to explicitly state on the survey that participation is voluntary. In effect, it shifts the ACS away from being a mandatory data collection effort toward one based on voluntary participation, with formal notice on the survey about voluntariness. As written, the bill would alter the current legal framework around the ACS by removing enforcement incentives for nonresponse and by codifying a clear voluntary disclaimer on the survey itself. This could affect how widely the survey is completed and, consequently, the quality and completeness of the data used for federal programs, policy, research, and planning.

Key Points

1Adds a new subsection (d) to 13 U.S.C. § 221 making it explicit that there is no penalty for individuals who refuse or neglect to answer any ACS question.
2Amends 13 U.S.C. § 193 to reorganize language and adds a new subsection (b) clarifying that participation in the ACS is voluntary.
3Requires the Secretary to place a statement on the American Community Survey (or any successor survey) stating that participation is voluntary.
4Codifies the voluntary nature of ACS participation in law, potentially reducing penalties and enforcement tied to nonresponse.
5The bill carries the short title “Freedom from Government Surveys Act.”

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: Individuals and households selected for the American Community Survey, who would face no penalties for nonresponse under the bill and would see a formal voluntariness statement on the survey.Secondary group/area affected: Federal agencies, localities, researchers, and policymakers that rely on ACS data for demographic, housing, economic, and community planning; potential changes in data availability and quality.Additional impacts:- Data quality and representativeness: With no penalties for nonresponse, response rates could decline or become biased if certain groups opt out at higher rates, potentially reducing accuracy or increasing the need for imputations or alternative data sources.- Administrative and legal considerations: The existing statutory framework surrounding the ACS would be altered, which could raise questions about compliance, implementation, and potential legal challenges, especially given the ACS’s role in federal programs and funding decisions.- Privacy and trust: Some respondents might perceive greater voluntariness as a positive shift toward trust, while others might worry about reduced data completeness affecting services that rely on ACS-derived insights.

Generated by gpt-5-nano on Nov 18, 2025