Arizona Official English Bill Approved by House

If passed by Senate, decision would be in voters hands in November

Led by Rep. Russell Pearce, the Arizona House affirmed the importance of a common language by passing HCR 2036, a bill that would allow the citizens of Arizona to vote on making English the official language of the state. The measure, approved today by a margin of 34-22 in the House, now goes to the Senate for consideration. If passed, the citizens of Arizona would cast their vote on the ballot in November.

“The Arizona House deserves commendation for their efforts on behalf of the people,” said Mauro E. Mujica, Chairman of the Board of U.S. English, Inc. “As the state becomes more and more diverse, the need grows for a sensible language policy that unites all Arizonans under our common language – English. We commend Representative Pearce and his colleagues for their forward thinking effort.”

Passage of HCR 2036 would mark the second time in Arizona, and the eighth nationwide, where voters have been given the choice to make English the language of a state. Though the 1988 Arizona initiative was struck down by the state Supreme Court, the other bills remain law in Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida and Utah.

Last year, the House and Senate both passed legislation that would have made English the official language of Arizona. Despite the support of more than two-thirds of Arizonans according to a 2005 poll conducted by KAET-TV/Channel 8 and Arizona State University, Gov. Napolitano vetoed the measure in May. A follow-up survey by the same organizations found that a majority of Arizonans disagreed with the governor’s veto action.

“The initiative process exists so that the voters can overcome the reluctance of their political leaders on the issues that matter most,” continued Mujica. “Arizonans continue to ask that the state place its emphasis on our common language and not continue a divisive multilingual trend. The voters have a reasonable expectation that they will either be given a chance to have their voices heard, or remove the legislators who stood in the way. I look forward to quick Senate consideration and passage of this bill.

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.usenglish.org) now has more than 1.8 million members.