08 LC
35 0705
Senate
Bill 335
By:
Senators Douglas of the 17th, Schaefer of the 50th, Hill of the 32nd and Hawkins
of the 49th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Code Section 50-3-100 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to the designation of English as the official language of Georgia, so as to
prohibit a state agency or political subdivision of this state from requiring an
employee to speak or learn any language other than the official language of the
state in order to be employed, maintain employment, or to be eligible for a
promotion; to provide for exceptions; to provide an effective date; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Code
Section 50-3-100 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the
designation of English as the official language of Georgia, is revised by adding
a new subsection (e) as follows:
"(e)
No state agency, county, municipality, or any political subdivision of this
state shall require a person who is employed or seeking employment or promotion
with such entity to speak a foreign language or to complete foreign language
training; nor shall any such entity give preferential treatment to any person
employed or seeking employment or promotion for the ability to speak a foreign
language or receiving foreign language training. This subsection shall not
apply to any position of employment for which the ability to speak a foreign
language is the primary function of that position, including foreign language
instructors, translators, and ambassadors. For purposes of this subsection,
'foreign language' means any language other than the official language of the
State of Georgia."
SECTION
2.
This
Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its
becoming law without such approval.
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.