The Census Bureau has removed 15 CFR part 101, regulations “related to the release of decennial census population information,” saying they are “obsolete and have not applied to the determination of methodology for calculating the tabulations of total population reported to states and localities under 13 U.S.C. 141(c) since the decennial census in 2000.”
The change took effect January 23, 2026.
The deleted rules related to prescriptive procedures in the run up to the 2000 Census, when the Census Bureau was considering using statistical sampling to formally adjust the count, which was ultimately blocked by a court decision. They also referenced specific Bureau positions that no longer exist.
The Census Bureau said it removed “this language to ensure conformity with the primary underlying statutory authority—13 U.S.C. 141(c)—and to ensure that the Secretary is able to fulfill his mandate thereunder without being hindered by any overly-prescriptive and outdated regulatory restrictions and requirements.”
The regulation had outdated language that needed to be revised. However, the process for setting up the correct geographies is dependent on consistent updating with the help of state and local governments throughout the decade and The Census Project recommends vigilance by stakeholders on those efforts.
- Eliminating Unnecessary and Overly-Restrictive Regulations Related to the Release of Decennial Census Population Information https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/23/2026-01244/eliminating-unnecessary-and-overly-restrictive-regulations-related-to-the-release-of-decennial
