FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2001
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Contact:
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Laura Macklem
202-833-0100
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ACLU'S ATTEMPT TO FREEZE OFFICIAL ENGLISH LAW DENIED BY COURT
Tonight, Judge Ronald Nehring of Utah's Third District
Court denied an ACLU motion to temporarily freeze his
March 5 decision, which upheld the constitutionality of
Initiative "A," the Utah Official English law. U.S.ENGLISH
and Utahns for Official English filed a formal opposition
April 12, to the ACLU's motion.
"This is a victory for official English, and a victory for
the Utahns who overwhelmingly voted 'Initiative A' into
law" said U.S.ENGLISH CEO/Chairman Mauro E. Mujica. "We
will continue to support 'Initiative A' during this appeal
and we are confident that Utah's official English law will
be upheld in future decisions."
Initiative "A," which made English the official language of
Utah, was passed with 67 percent of Utahns voting in favor
last November. However, the ACLU challenged the new law,
but lost in a March 5, 2001 ruling. Utah's Third Judicial
District Court affirmed the constitutionality of Initiative "A,"
recognizing that it respects the fundamental rights of all Utahns.
"Once again, the common sense has prevailed," said U.S.ENGLISH
Counsel Lisa Watts Baskin. "The court has exercised good judgment
in denying the motion to reinstate the injunction. This is a statute
that the court has already declared to be constitutional."
U.S.ENGLISH is the nation's oldest,
largest citizens' action group dedicated to preserving
the unifying role of the English language in the United
States. Founded in 1983 by the late Sen. S.I. Hayakawa of
California, U.S.ENGLISH now has more than 1.5 million
members nationwide. |
