South Carolina General Assembly
107th Session, 1987-1988

Bill 2191

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               2191
Ratification Number:       49
Act Number                 25
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   English language is the official language
                           of the state
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(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A25, R49, H2191)

AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IS THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, TO PROVIDE THAT NEITHER THIS STATE NOR ANY POLITICAL SUBDIVISION THEREOF MAY REQUIRE THE USE OF ANY LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH, AND TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

English is official language of State

SECTION 1. The English language is the official language of the State of South Carolina.

Use of language other than English prohibited

SECTION 2. Neither this State nor any political subdivision thereof shall require, by law, ordinance, regulation, order, decree, program, or policy, the use of any language other than English; provided, however, that nothing in this act shall prohibit a state agency or a political subdivision of the State from requiring an applicant to have certain degrees of knowledge of a foreign language as a condition of employment where appropriate.

Exceptions

SECTION 3. This act does not prohibit any law, ordinance, regulation, order, decree, program, or policy requiring educational instruction in a language other than English for the purpose of making students who use a language other than English proficient in English or making students proficient in a language in addition to English.

Time Effective

SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.