Share your input on census policy!
Below are current opportunities to share your feedback with the Census Bureau and other federal agencies regarding issues impacting census data collection.
Want to learn more about these opportunities and how our coalition plans to respond? Email us at [email protected]!
Current Input Opportunities
As part of the Race/Ethnicity Coding Improvement Project, the Census Bureau published a Federal Register Notice (FRN) on November 18 seeking feedback on the proposed race/ethnicity code list that will be used when the combined race/ethnicity question is implemented in the American Community Survey (ACS) and the 2030 Census. The Census Bureau aims to enhance and improve the code list that was used in the 2020 Census and is currently used in the ACS to ensure that detailed race and/or ethnicity responses are accurately coded and tabulated in future data collections.
There is a 90-day public comment period ending on February 18, 2025.
On December 6th, the Census Bureau published a Federal Register Notice (FRN) seeking feedback on the proposed electronic information collection system for temporary, intermittent Decennial Census positions starting with the 2026 Census Test. This system, called the Decennial Administrative, Recruiting, Hiring, and Training System (DARHTS), will gather essential job applicant information such as Social Security number, citizenship status, and job experience. It also includes voluntary questions for demographic data to improve future recruiting efforts. Data will be collected electronically through DARHTS, with applicants creating an account on census.gov to submit their information. The aim of this process is to streamline application procedures, allowing applicants to be considered for multiple positions with a single application.
There is a 60-day public comment period ending on February 10, 2025.
On January 6th, the Census Bureau published a Federal Register Notice seeking feedback on the 2026 Census Test. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment on the proposed new information collection, for the 2026 Census Test, prior to the submission of the information collection request (ICR) to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval. The Census Bureau is soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
There is a 60-day comment period ending March 11, 2025.
Past FRNs & Comment Letters
