The new Georgia state legislative session has officially begun, and State Rep. James Mills (R-25th, Gainsville) has wasted no time in introducing HB 72, which would:

Even though English has been the official language of Georgia since 1996, the Georgia DMV still allows driver's license written exams to be taken in 13 languages other than English—including Arabic, Bosnian, Cambodian, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese—despite the fact that all road signs are written exclusively in English.

 

Limiting driver's license tests to the English language is simply in keeping not only with the longstanding official English law of Georgia, but also with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations, which requires drivers engaged in interstate commerce to "read or speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries and to make entries on reports and records."

What is required of truck drivers to protect public safety in interstate commerce should be required to protect the safety of all Georgia drivers.

HB 72 is common-sense legislation that will simply close the loophole between the longstanding official English law of Georgia, as well as protect the safety of everyone using Georgia's roads. The people of Georgia need HB 72 because it would end confusing and dangerous un-official multilingualism and reaffirm the melting pot tradition that has served this state and this nation so well.

 

Please begin calling and emailing your state representative NOW!

This bill passed out of the House Public Safety Commitee last Wednesday by a vote of 8 to 2, so the next stop is the House floor this Wednesday, February 9th!

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ProEnglish Backgrounder: Why Drivers Must Know English

Dr. Manny Alvarez: English-only bills are not unfair to immigrants

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