2011-2012 Sessions

To see a map of States with and without existing official English laws, click here.

Each bill below is hyperlinked and will bring you to the bill summary on the state legislature website.

Georgia:             

 HB 72 would require that driver’s license exams are given in no languages other than  English for all permanent residents, with exceptions for those in the country on temporary  visas.   

Indiana:              

SB 590 would require that only English be used in public meetings, public documents, by officers and employees of state or political subdivisions in performing their duties, and providing information communicated electronically by the state or a political subdivision.

Michigan:           

 HB 4906 / SB 638 would make English the official language of Michigan.  

Minnesota:         

HF 64 / SF 175 would make English the official language of Minnesota.

Mississippi:        

HB 327 would require that any person who applies for a license issued by a state agency or for state-funded public assistance benefits must demonstrate that he or she is able to speak and understand the English language before he or she will be eligible to receive the license  or the public assistance.

Missouri:            

 HB 1147 / HB 1186 would require that both the written and skills tests of driver’s license  exams are to be administered in no languages other than English. The bill also prohibits  the use of interpreters for any portion of the exam, but allows the tests in English sign language in addition to spoken English.

New Jersey:         

A 965 clarifies the right of employers to require employees to speak English while engaged in work.  S 488 clarifies that breath test warnings provided to persons arrested for intoxicated driving and boating need only be in English and those warnings are not element of offense of refusing breath test.

New York:          

A 01258 / S 00469 would make English the official language of the state of New York.   A 06524 would limit driver's license exams to the English language.  A 06523 creates the Protecting of the English Language in the Workplace Act which specifies that it is not unlawful to require workers to speak English while engaged in work-related duties.  S 05911 requires certain business signs to be posted in English in cities with a population of one million or more.

North Carolina:  

H 396 would increase public safety by requiring an applicant for a driver’s license to be able to speak or read and write English with enough proficiency that the production of multiple tests and handbooks by the division of motor vehicles is not necessary thereby netting a cost savings to the state.  HB 475 would amend the state constitution to make English the official language.

Oklahoma:          

HB 2083 / HB 1444 would provide implementation guidelines for enforcing the recently passed law that amended the Oklahoma state constitution that made English the official language.

Pennsylvania:     

 HB 888 / HB 361 / SB 1052 would make English the official language of the state of  Pennsylvania. 

South Carolina:   

H 3610 proposes an official English state constitutional amendment.  S 19 provides implementation language to enforce South Carolina's official English law.

Tennessee:         

 SB 10 / HB 454 would require that driver’s license written exams be given in no languages  other than English.  HB 2721 / SB 2602 would limit both written and oral driver's  exams to  the English language.  

Washington: 

 HB 1769 / SB 6053 would designate English as the official language of the state.  SJR  8207 declares that English must be the language of all official proceedings.SJR 8220  amends the Constitution to designate English as the official language of the state.   

West Virginia:     

HB 2409 / SB 121 would make English the official language of the state of West Virginia.  HB 2805 would require that all activities, documents and records of government be in English.