PRINTER'S NO. 1801
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1625
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY DAVANZO, BERNSTINE, HAMM, KAUFFMAN, METCALFE,
MILLARD, ROWE, SILVIS AND STAMBAUGH, JUNE 14, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JUNE 14, 2021
AN ACT
Providing for the English language as the official language of
the Commonwealth; and imposing a certain restriction on use
of appropriated funds.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Official
Language Act.
Section 2. Legislative findings.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) The English language is the common and traditional
language of the United States and this Commonwealth.
(2) The use of a common language removes barriers of
misunderstanding and helps to unify the citizens of the
United States and this Commonwealth.
(3) A compelling State interest exists in promoting,
preserving and strengthening the use of the English language.
(4) The Commonwealth should promote proficiency in the
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English language to enable the full economic and civic
participation of all its citizens.
(5) A knowledge of the common language is essential to
full exercise of constitutional freedoms, informed and
knowledgeable empowerment as voters, citizen checks against
government abuses and individual prosperity and independence.
(6) The English language has been our strongest bond to
one another as fellow citizens and has contributed
substantially to national unity and societal cohesiveness.
(7) English has been this nation's language by custom
only and warrants special legal protection.
(8) Government has a fiduciary responsibility to the
citizenry to ensure that it operates as efficiently as
possible, and the growth of multiple language bureaucracies
and printing represents an abrogation of this fiduciary
responsibility.
(9) The Commonwealth and its municipalities and the
Federal Government also have a responsibility to ensure that
citizens have opportunities to learn English.
(10) Among the powers reserved to this Commonwealth is
the power to establish the English language as this
Commonwealth's official language and to promote the use of
the English language within this Commonwealth.
Section 3. Purpose.
(a) Unifying role.--It is the purpose of this act to
preserve, protect and strengthen the unifying role of English as
the official language of this Commonwealth.
(b) Rights preserved.--This act shall not be construed in
any way to infringe on the rights of citizens, who have every
right to choose their own primary language, in the use of
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language for private conduct, nor shall this act be used to
dictate language policies for the operation and administration
of organizations or businesses in the unregulated private
sector.
Section 4. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Official acts of government." Any of the following:
(1) Actions of the Commonwealth and of its political
subdivisions that carry the full weight and authority of law.
(2) Any order, regulation, rule, statement of policy,
adjudication, certificate, license, permit, notice,
instrument or official document issued, prescribed or
promulgated by or under the authority of the Commonwealth and
of its political subdivisions.
Section 5. Designation of language of official acts.
English is hereby recognized as the official language of the
Commonwealth and shall also be designated as the language of
official acts of government.
Section 6. Policies.
The Commonwealth and its political subdivisions shall make no
policies expressing a preference for any language other than
English or diminishing or ignoring the unifying role of English
as designated in this act, subject to the limitations in section
8.
Section 7. Enforcement.
Elected and appointed officers of the Commonwealth and its
political subdivisions shall take all reasonable steps to ensure
that the role of English as the official language is preserved
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and enhanced.
Section 8. Limitations.
The provisions of this act shall not apply to the following:
(1) When Federal law imposes contrary provisions.
(2) When the public safety, health or justice requires
the use of other languages.
(3) Instruction in foreign language courses.
(4) Instruction designed to aid students with limited
English proficiency in their transition and integration into
the education system.
(5) The promotion of international commerce or tourism.
(6) When using terms of art or phrases from languages
other than English.
(7) The preservation or use of Native Alaskan or Native
American languages as defined in the Native American
Languages Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-477) or the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (Public Law 91-230, 20 U.S.C.
ยง 1400 et seq.).
(8) The creation or promotion of a State motto or State
agency motto, the inscription of public monuments or the
performance of other acts involving the customary use of
languages other than English.
(9) The protection of the rights of criminal defendants
or victims of crime.
(10) Unofficial communications, through any medium,
between a person and a member of the General Assembly or any
officer or agent of the Commonwealth and its political
subdivisions, as long as official acts of government are
performed in English.
Section 9. Restrictions on use of appropriated funds.
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No appropriation of the General Assembly may be expended to
promote the use of or demonstrate a preference for any language
other than the official language, subject to the limitations in
section 8.
Section 10. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 90 days.
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