Text: H08084 Text: H08086 Text: H08000 - H08099 Text: H Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 Amend Senate File 165, as amended, passed, and 1 2 reprinted by the Senate, as follows: 1 3 #1. By striking everything after the enacting 1 4 clause and inserting the following: 1 5 "Section 1. NEW SECTION. 1.18 GOVERNMENT 1 6 OFFICIAL ACTION LANGUAGE. 1 7 1. Except as otherwise provided for in subsections 1 8 2 and 3, the English language shall be the language of 1 9 government in Iowa. All official documents, 1 10 regulations, orders, transactions, proceedings, 1 11 programs, meetings, publications, or actions taken or 1 12 issued, which are conducted or regulated by, or on 1 13 behalf of, or representing the state and all of its 1 14 political subdivisions shall be in the English 1 15 language. 1 16 For the purposes of this section, "official action" 1 17 means any action taken by the government in Iowa or by 1 18 an authorized officer or agent of the government in 1 19 Iowa that does any of the following: 1 20 a. Binds the government. 1 21 b. Is required by law. 1 22 c. Is otherwise subject to scrutiny by either the 1 23 press or the public. 1 24 2. This section shall not apply to: 1 25 a. The teaching of languages. 1 26 b. Requirements under the federal Individuals with 1 27 Disabilities Education Act. 1 28 c. Actions, documents, or policies necessary for 1 29 trade, tourism, or commerce. 1 30 d. Actions or documents that protect the public 1 31 health and safety. 1 32 e. Actions or documents that facilitate activities 1 33 pertaining to compiling any census of populations. 1 34 f. Actions or documents that protect the rights of 1 35 victims of crimes or criminal defendants. 1 36 g. Use of proper names, terms of art, or phrases 1 37 from languages other than English. 1 38 h. Any language usage required by or necessary to 1 39 secure the rights guaranteed by the Constitution and 1 40 laws of the United States of America or the 1 41 Constitution of the State of Iowa. 1 42 i. Any oral or written communications, 1 43 examinations, or publications produced or utilized by 1 44 a driver's license station, provided public safety is 1 45 not jeopardized except that examinations for 1 46 commercial driver's licenses shall be given only in 1 47 the English language. 1 48 3. Nothing in this section shall be construed to 1 49 do any of the following: 1 50 a. Prohibit an individual member of the general 2 1 assembly or officer of state government, while 2 2 performing official business, from communicating 2 3 through any medium with another person in a language 2 4 other than English, if that member or officer deems it 2 5 necessary or desirable to do so. 2 6 b. Limit the preservation or use of Native 2 7 American languages, as defined in the federal Native 2 8 American Languages Act of 1992. 2 9 c. Disparage any language other than English or 2 10 discourage any person from learning or using a 2 11 language other than English. 2 12 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 4.14 GENERAL RULES OF 2 13 CONSTRUCTION FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LAWS. 2 14 It is presumed that English language requirements 2 15 in the public sector are consistent with the laws of 2 16 Iowa and any ambiguity in the English language text of 2 17 the laws of Iowa shall be resolved, in accordance with 2 18 the ninth and tenth amendments of the Constitution of 2 19 the United States, not to deny or disparage rights 2 20 retained by the people, and to reserve powers to the 2 21 states or to the people. 2 22 Sec. 3. CITATION. This Act may be cited as the 2 23 "Government Official Action Language Act of 2002"." 2 24 #2. Title page, by striking lines 1 and 2, and 2 25 inserting the following: "An Act relating to the 2 26 government official action language Act of 2002." 2 27 2 28 2 29 2 30 MYERS of Johnson 2 31 SF 165.363 79 2 32 av/cf
Text: H08084 Text: H08086 Text: H08000 - H08099 Text: H Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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