English-Only Bill Vetoed by Governor of W. Virginia

[Harold F. Schiffman]

>>From the NYTimes, April 18, 2005

English-Only Bill Vetoed by Governor
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

CHARLESTON, W.Va., April 17 (AP) - Gov. Joe Manchin III vetoed a bill on
Saturday that would have made English the state's official language. He
said he did so not because he did not like the idea, but because the
legislation had a technical flaw.

Mr. Manchin, who was a co-sponsor of unsuccessful English-only bills when
he was a lawmaker, cited the state's Constitution, which limits each piece
of legislation to one topic. An English amendment was added to a bill on
increasing the size of local park and recreation boards in the final hours
of the legislative session.

West Virginia has the highest percentage of English-only speakers in the
nation, with only 2.7 percent of its residents speaking a language other
than English at home, according to the 2000 Census.


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/18/national/18english.html