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A 10331

Enacts the Census Enumerator Navigation Safety for Unimpeded Surveying Act

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Khaleel Anderson

Guarantees enumerator access to common areas of multi-unit buildings during official counts with credential validation and penalties for obstruction to protect census data accuracy

REPORTED REFERRED TO CODES
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Bill Summary · A 10331

Overview

  • Bill: A 10331-A (2025-2026 Session) – New York
  • Title: Enacts the Census Enumerator Navigation Safety for Unimpeded Surveying Act
  • Purpose: Strengthen and formalize protections and access for census enumerators in New York, supplementing federal census access rights with state-level enforcement, guidance, and transparency. Aims to reduce obstruction or harassment of enumerators and improve census data accuracy through coordinated compliance efforts.

What the bill would do

  • Create a new enforcement mechanism under the executive law to protect census enumerators during official counts.
  • Establish guidance and training materials for building owners, managers, and staff to recognize and facilitate authorized enumerators.
  • Provide civil penalties for obstruction or harassment of enumerators, and direct use of collected penalties to census education and outreach.

Key provisions

  1. Section 171-b (Census enumerator access)

    • During official enumeration periods, enumerators with valid federal or state credentials shall have reasonable access to common areas of multi-unit residential buildings for authorized census activities.
    • Access must align with days/hours when in-person census activities are authorized.

  2. Guidance and training

    • Attorney General (AG), in consultation with the U.S. Census Bureau’s New York Regional Office, will issue guidance to building owners/managers/staff on recognizing valid enumerator credentials.
    • Guidance must be publicly available on the AG’s website, the U.S. Census Bureau regional site, and in written form on request.
    • The Department of State may develop voluntary state-issued verification resources or training materials to help staff identify authorized enumerators and reduce confusion.

  3. Enforcement and penalties

    • AG enforces the section.
    • Building owners or managing agents whose staff or residents intentionally obstruct, harass, or interfere with enumerators may face civil penalties up to $500 per violation (in addition to any federal penalties).
    • Penalties go to the general fund, then to the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Census Bureau to support census education, compliance, and outreach.

  4. Complaints and transparency

    • AG shall establish a process for filing complaints about violations.
    • A list of all substantiated complaints will be publicly available on the AG’s website.

  5. Regulatory authority

    • AG is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement the section.

  6. Non-conflict with federal law

    • Provisions do not override, limit, or preempt federal census law and do not authorize entry into individual dwelling units without consent.

Local government alignment (New York City)

  • The bill renumbers NYC Charter sections to align with the new section 171-b.
  • NYC charters are amended to require collaboration with the AG to issue guidance on recognizing valid enumerator credentials, with guidance made available on relevant websites.

Practical impact

  • Aids enumerators by guaranteeing access to common areas of multi-unit buildings during official enumeration periods, subject to credential validation.
  • Increases accountability for obstruction, with a clear civil penalty framework.
  • Improves consistency and understanding among building staff through formal guidance and training resources.
  • Enhances transparency by publishing substantiated complaint data.

Affected parties

  • Census enumerators and federal/state credential holders.
  • Building owners, property managers, and building staff in multi-unit residences.
  • Property residents in multi-unit buildings (indirectly, through enforcement mechanisms and guidance).
  • The New York Attorney General's Office, the Department of State, and the U.S. Census Bureau regional office in New York.

Timeline and status

  • Effective date: Immediate upon enactment.
  • Action history indicates progress through committees (Governmental Operations and Codes) with amendments and recommittals, and eventual reporting to Codes as of May 19, 2026.
  • House and Senate approval not shown here; current material reflects enacted text pending or contingent on legislative process.

Summary

The Census Enumerator Navigation Safety for Unimpeded Surveying Act strengthens the state’s support framework for census operations by (1) guaranteeing access to common areas of multi-unit buildings for enumerators with proper credentials, (2) providing guidance and training to building staff to recognize authorized enumerators, (3) creating civil penalties for obstruction with proceeds directed to census education and outreach, (4) ensuring public transparency of substantiated complaints, and (5) coordinating with NYC authorities and federal partners to align with federal census law. It clarifies enforcement authority for the AG and preserves dwelling privacy by not authorizing entry into private living spaces without consent.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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