Public Law 94-171 Text

PUBLIC LAW 94-171—DEC. 23, 1975

_{89 STAT. 1023}

Public Law 94-171

94th Congress

_{An Act}

To amend section 141 of title 13, United States Code, to provide for the transmittal to each of the several States of the tabulation of population of that State obtained in each decennial census and desired for the apportionment or districting of the legislative body or bodies of that State, in accordance with, and subject to the approval of the Secretary of Commerce, a plan and form suggested by that officer or public body having responsibility for legislative apportionment or districting of the State being tabulated, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 141 of title 13, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end hereof the following new subsection:

“(c) The officers or public bodies having initial responsibility for the legislative apportionment or districting of each State may, not later than three years prior to the census date, submit to the Secretary a plan identifying the geographic areas for which specific tabulations of population are desired. Each such plan shall be developed in accordance with criteria established by the Secretary, which he shall furnish to such officers or public bodies not later than April 1 of the fourth year preceding the census date. Such criteria shall include requirements which assure that such plan shall be developed in a nonpartisan manner. Should the Secretary find that a plan submitted by such officers or public bodies does not meet the criteria established by him, he shall consult to the extent necessary with such officers or public bodies in order to achieve the alterations in such plan that he deems necessary to bring it into accord with such criteria. Any issues with respect to such plan remaining unresolved after such consultation shall be resolved by the Secretary, and in all cases he shall have final authority for determining the geographic format of such plan. Tabulations of population for the areas identified in any plan approved by the Secretary shall be completed by him as expeditiously as possible after the census date and reported to the Governor of the State involved and the officers or public bodies having responsibility for legislative apportionment or districting of such State, except that such tabulations of population of each State requesting a tabulation plan, and basic tabulations of population of each State, shall, in any event, be completed, reported and transmitted to each respectively State within one year after the census date.”.

Dec. 23, 1975 [H.R. 1753]

Population, tabulation for State legislative apportionment.

SEC. 2. (a) The heading for section 141 of title 13, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end thereof the following: “; tabulation for legislative apportionment”.

(b) The table of sections for chapter 5 of title 13, United States Code,

is amended by striking out the item relating to section 141 and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

“141. Population, unemployment, and housing; tabulation for legislative apportionment.”.

Approved December 23, 1975.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

HOUSE REPORT No. 94-456 (Comm. on Post Office and Civil Service). SENATE REPORT No. 94-539 (Comm. on Post Office and Civil Service). CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 121 (1975):

Nov. 7, considered and passed House. Dec. 15, considered and passed Senate.