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H.R. 5899 96th Congress House

A bill to limit the applicability of certain penalty provisions of title 13, United States Code, relating to failure to answer questions presented in the decennial and mid-decade census, and for…

Official title: A bill to limit the applicability of certain penalty provisions of title 13, United States Code, relating to failure to answer questions presented in the decen… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to limit the applicability of certain penalty provisions of title 13, United States Code, relating to failure to answer questions presented in the decennial and mid-decade census, and for other purposes.

Introduced: November 14, 1979 See on congress.gov
Government Operations and Politics Agricultural statisticsAgriculture and Rural AffairsCensusCensus and Statistics
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Congress and CongressmenCongressional oversightCrime preventionFarmsFines (Penalties)
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This bill died when the 96th Congress ended
It never became law before the 96th Congress (1979–1980) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Nov 14, 1979
Referred to House Committee on Post Office and Civil Service.
Nov 14, 1979
Introduced in House
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 Latest action November 14, 1979

Referred to House Committee on Post Office and Civil Service.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Limits the applicability of specified penalty provisions relating to failure to answer questions presented in the decennial and mid-decade census to questions approved for the particular census by a concurrent resolution passed by Congress.

Prohibits compelling an answer to census questions which apply to persons or families or the farms they occupy, unless such questions have been so approved.

Directs the Secretary of Commerce: (1) to study the effect of such removal of penalties upon the accuracy and completeness of responses to census questions; and (2) to report the results of such study to the appropriate committees of Congress.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 5899: A bill to limit the applicability of certain penalty provisions of title 13, United States Code, relating to failure to answer questions presented in the decennial and mid-decade census, and for other purposes.. 96th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/96-HR-5899/
MLA
"H.R. 5899: A bill to limit the applicability of certain penalty provisions of title 13, United States Code, relating to failure to answer questions presented in the decennial and mid-decade census, and for other purposes.." 96th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/96-HR-5899/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 5899, 96th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/96-HR-5899/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 5899: A bill to limit the applicability of certain penalty provisions of title 13, United States Code, relating to failure to answer questions presented in the decennial and mid-decade census, and for other purposes.](https://openamerica.io/bill/96-HR-5899/)
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