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Heated hearing over bill to require DMV testing materials in English only; DMV and advocates warn of safety and civil-rights risks
Summary
House Bill 4 61 would require DMV testing and training materials to be provided in English and would curtail translators during testing. Sponsor Tom Walsh said the measure is intended to improve roadway safety by ensuring drivers understand English signage; the DMV and immigrant advocates said curtailing translation would reduce safety and risk federal funding.
Representative Tom Walsh introduced House Bill 4 61, which would require DMV testing and training materials to be in English and restrict the use of translators for licensing tests. "If you're gonna get the privilege of driving on the roads on a regular basis, you should have at least a basic understanding of the English language," Walsh told senators, framing the bill as a road-safety measure.
DMV and federal compliance concerns: John Marasco, Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles, provided informational testimony and said the DMV had no official position but that the agency offers language assistance today and believed those services make roadways safer. "We offer the knowledge test at the DMV and have for many years in 7 different languages," Marasco said. He described a Pocketalk translation device used…
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