republic-os/legal/us/code/title-13/chapter-7/section-214.md

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LegalText	13 U.S.C. § 214	Wrongful disclosure of information	us	united_states_code	code_section	13	CENSUS	7	OFFENSES AND PENALTIES	214	13 U.S.C. § 214	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc13@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t13/s214	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-13/usc13.xml	7cc50d8420095fd114199637cdffb962fb32df0ec69983cb08543bd6f7623c97	011da4ac35a93bd542f337aea77f46d151471562d4aedd0c019dc58788563ce3	8dc4566287277990759a79b7cd031e630421c0326967fd6ee5564765c30f39c1	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

13 U.S.C. § 214 - Wrongful disclosure of information

Text

Whoever, being or having been an employee or staff member referred to in subchapter II of chapter 1 of this title, having taken and subscribed the oath of office, or having sworn to observe the limitations imposed by section 9 of this title, or whoever, being or having been a census liaison within the meaning of section 16 of this title, publishes or communicates any information, the disclosure of which is prohibited under the provisions of section 9 of this title, and which comes into his possession by reason of his being employed (or otherwise providing services) under the provisions of this title, shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

(Aug. 31, 1954, ch. 1158, 68 Stat. 1023; Pub. L. 94–521, § 12(a), Oct. 17, 1976, 90 Stat. 2464; Pub. L. 103–430, § 2(c), Oct. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 4394.)

Notes

Historical and Revision NotesBased on title 13, U.S.C., 1952 ed., §§ 73, 83, 122, 208, 252, and section 1442 of title 42, U.S.C., 1952 ed., The Public Health and Welfare (Aug. 7, 1916, ch. 274, § 3, 39 Stat. 437; Apr. 2, 1924, ch. 80, § 3, 43 Stat. 31; June 18, 1929, ch. 28, §§ 8, 21, 46 Stat. 23, 26; July 25, 1947, ch. 331, 61 Stat. 437; June 19, 1948, ch. 502, § 2, 62 Stat. 479; July 15, 1949, ch. 338, title VI, § 607, 63 Stat. 441; Sept. 7, 1950, ch. 910, § 2, 64 Stat. 784). Section consolidates parts of sections 73, 83 and 208 of title 13, U.S.C., 1952 ed., that part of section 122 of such title which made such section 208 applicable to the quinquennial censuses of manufactures, the mineral industries, and other businesses (see subchapter I of chapter 5 of this revised title), that part of section 252 of such title which made such section 208 applicable to the quinquennial censuses of governments (see subchapter III of chapter 5 of this revised title), and that part of subsection (b) of section 1442 of title 42, U.S.C., 1952 ed., which made such section 208 applicable to the decennial censuses of housing (see subchapter II of chapter 5 of this title). Words “Secretary or other authorized officer or employee of the Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof” were substituted for reference to the Director of the Census. See Revision Note to section 9 of this title, into which other parts of sections 73, 83 and 208 of title 13, U.S.C., 1952 ed., have been carried. The provision in section 208 of title 13, U.S.C., 1952 ed., designating the offense as a felony, was omitted as covered by section 1 of title 18, U.S.C., 1952 ed., Crimes and Criminal Procedure, and words in such section “upon conviction thereof” and “in the discretion of the court”, were omitted as surplusage. Changes were made in phraseology.

Editorial Notes

Amendments1994—Pub. L. 103–430 inserted “or whoever, being or having been a census liaison within the meaning of section 16 of this title,”. 1976—Pub. L. 94–521 provided that staff members would be liable for wrongful communication of information under this section, inserted “or having sworn to observe the limitations imposed by section 9 of this title” after “oath of office”, substituted a provision predicating liability under this section upon disclosure of information prohibited by section 9 of this title for a former provision predicating such liability upon disclosure of information without the written authority of the Secretary or other authorized officer or employee of the Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof, substituted “being employed (or otherwise providing services)” for “employment”, increased maximum amount of fine under this section to $5,000 from $1,000, and increased maximum prison term to 5 years from 2 years.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1976 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 94–521 effective Oct. 17, 1976, see section 17 of Pub. L. 94–521, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.