West Virginia Official English Legislation Passes Senate

heads to the House of Delegates after 30-3 vote

WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. English, Inc., the nation’s oldest and largest organization dedicated to preserving the unifying role of the English language in the United States, fully supports of legislation introduced by State Senator Larry Edgell (D) and House of Delegates Majority Whip Scott Varner (D), that would make English the official language of West Virginia.

With the introduction of SB 425, Sen. Edgell and Del. Varner aim to make West Virginia the 28th state with an official English law on the books. A recent poll by Zogby International showed that 82 percent of Americans support enactment of official English legislation, including substantial majorities in all sub-categories. On Wednesday, the West Virginia Senate passed the measure by the overwhelming margin of 30-3.

“Official English legislation is one of those rare issues which benefits everyone,” said U.S. English Chairman Mauro E. Mujica. “Establishing English as the state’s common language will save taxpayer money, assist immigrants in learning English and ensure that the citizens of West Virginia can continue to share ideas across cultures.”

The benefits of being able to speak English have been well chronicled in research. The U.S. Department of Education found that English proficient individuals tend to obtain more prestigious, more secure jobs and earn roughly double what non-English proficient individuals earn. Other studies have found that English speakers are more likely to get routine medical care such as blood pressure and cholesterol checks.

“We applaud Senator Edgell and Delegate Varner for introducing common sense legislation to keep West Virginians united under a common language,” announced Mujica. “As an immigrant from Chile, I understand the importance of learning English in order to succeed in the United States. Declaring English the official language of West Virginia will keep this proud state moving forward, bringing together newcomers and natives in pursuit of the American dream. We urge the West Virginia House of Delegates to follow the lead of the Senate and swiftly pass this measure.”

SB 425 requires West Virginia’s government to conduct official business in English. After passage by the Senate, the bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee for consideration.

U.S. English, Inc. is the nation's oldest and largest non-partisan 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, Inc. (www.us-english.org) now has more than 1.8 million members.