September 13, 2011, Introduced by Senators KAHN, GREEN, COLBECK, WALKER, BRANDENBURG, HANSEN and PAPPAGEORGE and referred to the Committee on Government Operations.
A bill to designate English as the official state language; to
provide certain rights; and to provide the powers and duties of
certain state and local agencies and officials.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1. (1) English is designated as the official language of
this state.
(2) Official actions of this state that bind or commit the
state or that give the appearance of presenting the official views
or position of the state shall be in the English language.
(3) Except as provided in subsection (6), a law, ordinance,
decree, program, or policy of this state, or a political
subdivision of this state, shall not require the use of any
language other than English for any documents, regulations, orders,
transactions, proceedings, meetings, programs, or publications that
do any of the following:
(a) Promote trade, commerce, and tourism.
(b) Create or promote state or agency mottoes.
(c) Inscribe public monuments.
(4) A person who speaks only the English language shall be
eligible to participate in all programs, benefits, and
opportunities, including employment, provided by this state and its
political subdivisions, except when required to speak another
language as provided in subsection (6).
(5) A law, ordinance, decree, program, or policy of this state
or a political subdivision of this state shall not penalize or
impair the rights, obligations, or opportunities available to any
person solely because a person speaks only the English language.
(6) The state and the political subdivisions of this state may
use a language other than English for any of the following
purposes:
(a) To teach or encourage the learning of languages other than
English.
(b) To protect the public health or safety.
(c) To teach English to those who are not fluent in the
language.
(d) To comply with the Native American languages act, 25 USC
2901 to 2906, the individuals with disabilities education act, 20
USC 1400 to 1482, or any other federal law.
(e) To protect the rights of criminal defendants and victims
of crime.
(f) To perform acts involving the customary use of a language
other than English.
(g) To utilize terms of art or terms or phrases from other
languages which are commonly used in communications otherwise in
English.