Language in America - States with Official English

Introduction

Current Issues
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Presidential Candidates' Positions
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1996 Cong. Official English Proposals
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States With Official English
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Voter Support
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The Fragmentation of Canada
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Bilingual Ballots
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Bilingual/Bicultural Education
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Puerto Rican Statehood
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English and Citizenship
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English on the Job

Background Information
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English as the Official Language
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Is Official English Discriminatory?
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History of English as America's Language

Order Language In America

ELPAC Home


States Which Have Declared English
As Their Official Language:

Alabama: Ala. Const. Amend. 509 (1990)
Arizona: Ariz. Const. Art. XXVIII (1988)
(negated by Arizona Supreme Court – 1999)
Arkansas: Ark. Stat. Ann. 1-4-117 (1987)
California: Cal. Const. Art. III, § 6 (1986)
Colorado: Colo. Const. Art. II, § 30 (1988)
Florida: Fla. Const. Art. II, § 9 (1988)
Georgia: Ga. Code Ann. § 50-3-30 (1986)
Hawaii: Hawaii Const. Art. XV, § 4 (1978)
(Hawaiian is second language)
Illinois: Ill. Rev. Stat. Ch. 1, § 3005 (1969)
Indiana: Ind. Code Ann. § 1-2-10-1 (1984)
Kentucky: Ky. Rev. Stat. § 2.013 (1984)
Mississippi: Miss. Code Ann. § 3-3-31 (1987)
Montana: Mont. Code Ann. § 1-1-510 (1995)
Nebraska: Neb. Const. Art. I, § 27 (1920)
New Hampshire: 1995 N.H. Laws 157 (1995)
North Carolina: N.C. Gen. Stat. Ch. 145, § 12 (1987)
North Dakota: N.D. Cent. Code, § 54-02-13 (1987)
South Carolina: S.C. Code Ann. § 1-1-(696-698) (1987)
South Dakota: S.D. Codified Laws Ann. §§ 1-27-20 to 1-27-26 (1995)
Tennessee: Tenn. Code Ann. § 4-1-404 (1984)
Virginia: Va. Code § 22.1-212.1 (1950)
Wyoming: Wyo. St. 8-6-101 (1996)
(Note: Louisiana, a "civil code" jurisdiction, permits the use of both French and English.)

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