Missouri State House Committee Passes Official English Bill
Missouri State House Committee Passes Official English Bill
January 27, 2012
Washington, DC—U.S. English Chairman Mauro E. Mujica today released the following statement upon receiving news of a Missouri State House Committee’s passage of legislation to require all state drivers’ tests be conducted in English:
“Despite the fact that thirty states, including Missouri, have now passed laws declaring English the official language of the state, only eight have made the decision to require that drivers’ tests be conducted solely in English. Immigrants must have a working knowledge of the English language to become naturalized citizens, so it is common sense to ensure that they know enough English to safely navigate roadways. I commend the Missouri State House International Trade and Job Creation Committee on its passage of this important legislation, and I strongly encourage the State Legislature to continue working expeditiously to enact this bill.”
Currently, Missouri offers drivers’ tests in 11 languages. House Bill 1186, introduced by Rep. Chuck Gatschenberger and Rep. Mark Parkinson, would make English the sole language for these tests. Similar legislation passed the Missouri State House of Representatives last year but stalled in the State Senate.
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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. () now has more than 2 million members.
