Michigan House Committee Overwhelmingly Approves Official English Bill

Measure Now Heads to House Floor

The Michigan House Government Operations Committee today passed H.B. 5633, legislation that would make English the official language of Michigan by a vote of 7-0. The measure, introduced by Representative Jack Hoogendyk, calls for the state to conduct official business in English.

If H.B. 5633 is passed by both the House and the Senate and signed into law, Michigan would become the 28th state to make English its official language. The passage of the legislation through the House Government Operations Committee marks the most significant consideration of an official English bill in Michigan in recent years.

“The members of the Government Operations committee should be congratulated for their foresight in approving this measure,” said Mauro E. Mujica, Chairman of U.S. English, Inc. “Michigan may not have the immigrant population of some of the states on our southern border, but these legislators understand that any population caught behind the language barrier suffers greatly. Efforts to make English the official language of Michigan will pay dividends for both immigrant and native-born Americans.”

According to a poll of 600 residents conducted by MRG Research, 83 percent of Michigan adults support making English the official language of the state. Conducted in March 2006, the poll found high rates of support across all areas of the state as well as across political and ethnic lines.

“In these days of closely divided opinion, it is rare to find an issue that can unite so many people,” continued Mujica. “Official English is one of those exceptional causes which can bring together the people of a diverse state. I look forward to seeing H.B. 5633 considered and passed by the full House in the very near future.”

The 2000 Census found that 294,000 Michigan residents are limited English proficient. Of these, 130,000 speak English “not well” or “not at all,” representing a 90 percent increase from 1990. In all, 125 languages are spoken at home in the Great Lakes State, including 59 that are spoken by more than 1,000 residents.

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.