Add §171-b, Exec L; ren §20-t to be §20-v, amd §20-v, NYC Chart
Supplements federal law regarding access by census enumerators to multi-residence buildings; provides for the development of guidance regarding access for building personnel; provides penalties for violations; and provides for a complaint process.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10331
IN ASSEMBLY
February 20, 2026
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ANDERSON -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law and the New York city charter, in
relation to enacting the "Census Enumerator Navigation Safety for
Unimpeded Surveying Act"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Census
2 Enumerator Navigation Safety for Unimpeded Surveying Act".
3 § 2. Legislative intent. Federal law establishes a right of access for
4 census enumerators but provides limited mechanisms for routine enforce-
5 ment, guidance, and accountability at the state and local level. This
6 act supplements federal law by establishing civil enforcement tools,
7 coordination, and transparency to ensure census access is effectively
8 implemented in New York State. To facilitate lawful access for census
9 enumerators, protect them from obstruction or harassment, and improve
10 census accuracy through state-level coordination and compliance meas-
11 ures.
12 § 3. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 171-b to
13 read as follows:
14 § 171-b. Census enumerator access. 1. During an official enumeration
15 period established by the United States Census Bureau, enumerators who
16 present valid federal-issued or state-issued credentials shall be
17 afforded reasonable access to common areas of multi-unit residential
18 buildings for the purpose of conducting authorized census activities.
19 Such access shall be granted during the days and hours enumerators are
20 authorized to make in-person inquiries for the purposes of collecting
21 census information.
22 2. (a) The office of the attorney general, in consultation with the
23 New York Regional Office of the United States Census Bureau after
24 appointment pursuant to section twenty-v of the New York City Charter,
25 shall prepare and issue guidance to building owners, managing agents,
26 and building staff regarding recognition of valid enumerator creden-
27 tials. Such guidance shall be available to the public on the website of
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14733-02-6
A. 10331 2
1 the attorney general, on the website of the New York Regional Office of
2 the United States Census Bureau, and in written form upon request.
3 (b) To the extent not in violation of federal law, the department of
4 state shall develop a voluntary state-issued verification resource or
5 training materials to assist building staff in identifying authorized
6 enumerators and reducing confusion during enumeration periods.
7 3. The attorney general shall enforce the provisions of this section.
8 Any person who or entity that intentionally obstructs, harasses, or
9 interferes with an enumerator performing the enumerator's official
10 duties pursuant to this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of
11 up to two hundred dollars per violation. Such penalty shall be in addi-
12 tion to any applicable federal penalties. Moneys collected from such
13 penalties shall be deposited in the general fund to the credit of the
14 New York Regional Office of the United States Census Bureau to be used
15 for education, compliance and outreach activities regarding the census.
16 4. The office of the attorney general shall establish a process for
17 the filing of complaints regarding violations of this section. A listing
18 of all substantiated complaints shall be available to the public on the
19 website of the attorney general.
20 5. The attorney general is authorized to promulgate rules and regu-
21 lations necessary for the implementation of this section.
22 6. Nothing in this section shall be construed to conflict with, limit
23 or preempt federal census law or to authorize entry into individual
24 dwelling units without consent.
25 § 4. Section 20-t of the New York city charter, as added by added by
26 local law number 9 of the city of New York for the year 2026, is renum-
27 bered section 20-v.
28 § 5. Subdivision d of section 20-v of the New York city charter, as
29 renumbered by section four of this act, is amended by adding a new para-
30 graph 6 to read as follows:
31 6. Consult with the office of the attorney general to prepare and
32 issue guidance to building owners, managing agents, and building staff
33 regarding recognition of valid enumerator credentials as provided in
34 section one hundred seventy-one-b of the executive law and make such
35 guidance available on its website.
36 § 6. Severability. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision,
37 section or part of this act shall be adjudged by any court of competent
38 jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair, or
39 invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation
40 to the clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section or part thereof
41 directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment shall have
42 been rendered. It is hereby declared to be the intent of the legislature
43 that this act would have been enacted even if such invalid provisions
44 had not been included herein.
45 § 7. This act shall take effect immediately.
