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Washington State Constitutional Amendment for Official
English legislation
Bill Text of HJRes 4219
WHEREAS, English is the common language of the people of the United States
of America and the state of Washington, this article is intended to preserve,
protect, strengthen, and perpetuate the English language, and not to supersede
any of the rights guaranteed to the people by this Constitution.
BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE
OF WASHINGTON, IN LEGISLATIVE SESSION ASSEMBLED:
that, At the next general election to be held in this state the secretary
of state shall submit to the qualified voters of the state for their approval
and ratification, or rejection, an amendment to the Constitution of the
state of Washington by adding a new article to read as follows:
Section 1. English is the official language of the state of Washington.
Section 2. The legislature shall enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
The legislature and officials of the state of Washington shall take all
steps necessary to ensure that the English language and the role it has
played as the common language of the state of Washington are preserved,
protected, strengthened, and perpetuated.
The legislature shall make no law that diminishes or ignores the English
language or the role it has played as the common language of the state
of Washington.
Section 3. Any person who is a resident of or doing business in the state
of Washington shall have standing to sue thestate of Washington to enforce
this article, and the courts of record of the state of Washington shall
have jurisdiction to hear cases brought to enforce this article. The legislature
may provide reasonable and appropriate limitations on the time and manner
of suits brought under this article.
Section 4. If any provision of this article, or the application of any
such provision to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder
of the article or the application of the provision to other persons or
circumstances is not affected.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause notice
of this constitutional amendment to be published at least four times during
the four weeks next preceding the election in every legal newspaper in
the state.
Status of HJ Res 4219
Pending committee action in the Committee on State Government and Tribal
Affairs, since Jan. 30.
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