Oregon: Bill to make English state's official language sidetracked

[Harold F. Schiffman]

Bill to make English state's official language sidetracked

02/07/2007 Associated Press

A bill to make English Oregon's official language has been sent to the
House Elections, Ethics and Rules Committee, where it is of low priority
and likely will die, legislators say. Committee Chairwoman Rep. Diane
Rosenbaum, D-Portland, said the bill does very little and that the
committee has more important issues such as the initiative process to deal
with. "I think (HB2459) is one of those bills that's a solution in search
of a problem," she said. So far 28 states have similar laws.

Rep. Donna Nelson, R-McMinnville, introduced the bill in the first days of
the legislative session. "English is the language of commerce, industry,
and culture in America,"  she said. "It is critical to our future that we
embrace English officially as our language of government." There are other
opinions. "If you want to unify people, you don't do it with a divisive
measure,"  said Franciso Lopez, the director of Integrated Services
Network in Salem, a nonprofit that helps adults with developmental
disabilities including Spanish speakers. "You do it by better
understanding diversity," Lopez said.

David Leslie, the executive director of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon,
which serves the Russian community, called the bill a backward move "and a
very scary change." But Rep. Sal Esquivel, R-Medford, one of the bill's
eight sponsors and the only Hispanic in the Legislature, said the measure
is needed to help protect an American culture that should be honored by
immigrants. A similar bill introduced in 1999 died without a hearing. This
bill apparently would change little but would relieve state agencies of
the need to provide services or information in a foreign language.
However they would retain the option of doing so.

The Department of Human Services provides services in multiple languages.
"I can't imagine that we'd change our policy (to English only) because
it's how we're able to reach the vulnerable populations whose health,
safety and well-being would be better assured with access to services,"
said Patricia Feeny, a spokeswoman for DHS. Oregon State University
professor Bill Lunch called it a political ploy to give conservatives a
political edge in 2008.

http://www.kgw.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8N4VOVO0.html#

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