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House floor debate intensifies over making English the state’s common language and ESL appropriations
Summary
Lawmakers spent extended floor time on substitute versions of House Bill 213, debating declarations that English be Utah’s common language, agency discretion for non‑English materials, and appropriations for adult ESL programs; multiple substitutes were offered and considered.
Members of the Utah House spent substantial floor time on House Bill 213 on Feb. 11 as sponsors and opponents exchanged amendments and substitute text that ranged from a concise declaration that English is the state language to broader proposals tying appropriations and agency rules to language policy.
Representative Rowan, who carried the bill, explained that his substitute seeks to "declare that English is the common language of Utah" while preserving limited exceptions and a process for agencies to petition for material in other languages. "We declare that English is the common language of…
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