Proposition # 63
Title Official State Language. Initiative Constitutional Amendment
Year/Election 1986 general
Proposition type initiative constitutional
Popular vote Yes: 5,138,577 (73.2%); No: 1,876,639 (26.8%)
Passed

Summary

Provides that English is the official language of State of California. Requires Legislature to enforce this provision by appropriate legislation. Requires Legislature and state officials to take all steps necessary to ensure that the role of English as the common language of the state is preserved and enhanced. Provides that the Legislature shall make no law which diminishes or ignores the role of English as the common language. Provides that any resident of or person doing business in state shall have standing to sue the state to enforce these provisions. Summary of Legislative Analyst's estimate of net state and local government fiscal impact: This measure would have no direct effect on the costs or revenues of the state or local governments.

Law

This initiative measure is submitted to the people in accordance with the provisions of Article II, Section 8 of the Constitution.

This initiative measure amends the Constitution by adding sections thereto; therefore, new provisions proposed to be added are printed in italic type to indicate that they are new.

AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE III

Section 1. Section 6 is added to Article III of the Constitution to read as follows:

SEC. 6. (a) Purpose .

English is the common language of the people of the United States of America and the State of California. This section is intended to preserve, protect and strengthen the English language, and not to supersede any of the rights guaranteed to the people by this Constitution.

(b) English as the Official Language of California .

English is the official language of the State of California.

(c) Enforcement .

The Legislature shall endorse this section by appropriate legislation. The Legislature and officials of the State of California shall take all steps necessary to insure that the role of English as the common language of the State of California is preserved and enhanced. The Legislature shall make no law which diminishes or ignores the role of English as the common language of the State of California.

(d) Personal Right of Action and Jurisdiction of Courts .

Any person who is a resident of or doing business in the State of California shall have standing to sue the State of California to enforce this section, and the Courts of record of the State of California shall have jurisdiction to hear cases brought to enforce this section. The Legislature may provide reasonable and appropriate limitations on the time and manner of suits brought under this section.

Section 2. Severability

If any provision of this section, or the application of any such provision to any person or circumstance, shall be held invalid, the remainder of this section to the extent it can be given effect shall not be affected thereby, and to this end the provisions of this section are severable.