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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| SENATE BILL |
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| INTRODUCED BY McILHINNEY, RAFFERTY, FOLMER, VOGEL, FONTANA, WAUGH, FERLO, ALLOWAY, EARLL, SCARNATI, SOLOBAY, GORDNER, ARGALL, D. WHITE, KASUNIC, MENSCH AND BRUBAKER, MAY 10, 2011 |
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| REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, MAY 10, 2011 |
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| AN ACT |
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1 | Providing for the English language as the official language of |
2 | the Commonwealth. |
3 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
4 | hereby enacts as follows: |
5 | Section 1. Short title. |
6 | This act shall be known and may be cited as the Official |
7 | Language Act. |
8 | Section 2. Purpose. |
9 | (a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this act to preserve, |
10 | protect and strengthen the unifying role of English as the |
11 | official language of the Commonwealth. English has been this |
12 | nation's language by custom only and warrants special legal |
13 | protection. |
14 | (b) Rights preserved.--This act shall not be construed to |
15 | infringe on the rights of citizens, who have every right to |
16 | choose their own primary language, in the use of language for |
17 | private conduct, nor shall this act be used to dictate language |
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1 | policies for the operation and administration of organizations |
2 | or businesses in the unregulated private sector. |
3 | Section 3. Definitions. |
4 | The following words and phrases when used in this act shall |
5 | have the meanings given to them in this section unless the |
6 | context clearly indicates otherwise: |
7 | "Official acts of government." Any of the following: |
8 | (1) Actions of the Commonwealth and of its political |
9 | subdivisions that carry the full weight and authority of law. |
10 | (2) Official documents recorded and maintained by the |
11 | Commonwealth and its political subdivisions for the public |
12 | domain, including tax records, professional licenses, deeds, |
13 | real estate records, publicly probated wills and other |
14 | documents of the court systems and public proceedings of the |
15 | governing bodies of the Commonwealth and its political |
16 | subdivisions. |
17 | Section 4. Designation of language of official acts. |
18 | English is recognized as the official language of the |
19 | Commonwealth and shall be designated as the language of official |
20 | acts of government. |
21 | Section 5. Policies. |
22 | The Commonwealth and its political subdivisions shall make no |
23 | policies expressing a preference for any language other than |
24 | English or diminishing or ignoring the unifying role of English |
25 | as designated under this act, subject to the limitations under |
26 | section 7. |
27 | Section 6. Enforcement. |
28 | (a) General rule.--Elected and appointed officers of the |
29 | Commonwealth and its political subdivisions shall take all |
30 | reasonable steps to ensure that the role of English as the |
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1 | official language is preserved and enhanced. |
2 | (b) Standing.--Any citizen of this Commonwealth shall have |
3 | standing to bring an action against the Commonwealth or any of |
4 | its political subdivisions to enforce this section. |
5 | Section 7. Limitations. |
6 | The provisions of this act shall not apply to the following: |
7 | (1) When Federal law imposes contrary provisions. |
8 | (2) When the public safety, health or justice requires |
9 | the use of other languages. |
10 | (3) Instruction in foreign language courses. |
11 | (4) Instruction designed to aid students with limited |
12 | English proficiency in their transition and integration into |
13 | the education system. |
14 | (5) The promotion of international commerce or tourism. |
15 | (6) The provision of interpretation for hearing impaired |
16 | individuals in American Sign Language. |
17 | Section 8. Appropriations. |
18 | The General Assembly and the governing bodies of its |
19 | political subdivisions shall make no appropriation to promote |
20 | the use of or demonstrate a preference for any language other |
21 | than the official language, subject to the limitations under |
22 | section 7. |
23 | Section 20. Effective date. |
24 | This act shall take effect in 90 days. |
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