WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor

H.B. 982

BY adding to

Article 41 - Governor - Executive and Administrative Departments

Section 18-205

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1993 Replacement Volume)

Preamble

WHEREAS, Maryland is comprised of people from many ethnic, cultural, and
linguistic backgrounds, each of whom have contributed to this State the richness of their
heritages; and

WHEREAS, Maryland has been greatly enriched by this diversity, and the
government should always take steps to promote the dignity of all the heritages that form
this State's pluralistic society; and

WHEREAS, The people of Maryland, despite their many differences, have lived
together productively as citizens of this nation, and the use of a common official language
will continue the promotion of this goal; and

WHEREAS, More than ninety languages are spoken in Maryland today, and
language has the power to unite or divide the people of differing backgrounds and
heritages; and

WHEREAS, English has become the only language that crosses all ethnic, racial,
and cultural lines; and

WHEREAS, The absence of a common language among diverse people encourages
segregation along language linos and places at great disadvantage individuals who are of
limited proficiency in English; and

WHEREAS, The use of a common language in no way discourages people from
maintaining fluency in their native language and becoming fluent in foreign language; and

WHEREAS, English is the international language of aviation, navigation,
technology, science, business, and electronic communications; and

WHEREAS, Knowledge of a common language is essential to the democratic
processes of government and the full exercise of constitutional freedoms, informed and
knowledgeable empowerment as voters, citizen checks against government abuses, and
individual prosperity and independence; and

WHEREAS, The use of a common language as the common official language in
Maryland will ensure a uniform means of access to public documents and communications
in the State; and

WHEREAS, The use of a common language as the common official language does
not mean that English would be the only language permitted to be used in this State; and

WHEREAS, The use of a common language as the common official language does
not interfere with or contradict the teaching of other languages in schools or with the use
of other languages in churches, in business, or in trade and commerce; and

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