Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee introduces proposed amendment to make English Idaho's official language
Summary
Rep. Dale Hawkins introduced RS 32593 to add a provision to Article X of the Idaho Constitution declaring English the language of public proceedings and documents; proponents said it would ensure uniformity while opponents warned it could disenfranchise non-English speakers and affect federally protected bilingual voting materials.
Representative Dale Hawkins, who represents a district that includes parts of Clearwater and Kootenai counties, presented RS 32593 to create a new constitutional provision declaring English the state’s official language for public proceedings, public documents and public institutions "except in areas required by federal law."
Hawkins said he brought the draft after seeing similar action at the federal level and described it as a declaration of state sovereignty. "This would impact…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
