Alaska English as Official Language Act (1998)

From Ballotpedia

Alaska Ballot Measure 6, also known as the Act Requiring Government to Use English, was on the November 7, 1998 election ballot in Alaska. Measure 6 was a citizen-initiated ballot measure. It passed, with 68.6% of voters in favor.^[1]

• Yes: 153,107
• No: 70,085

See also: Initiatives About English

Text of the proposal

The language that appeared on the ballot:

This bill requires the state to use English in all government functions and actions. State records must be in English. "The state" means the legislature, all state agencies, local governments, school districts, public corporations and the university. Those entities may use non-English languages for international trade, emergencies, teaching languages, court suits, criminal inquiries, for elected officials to talk to constituents or to comply with federal law. Costs of non-English records must be identified. Persons who speak only English may not be denied state jobs or services. The bill does not affect private sector use of non-English languages. ^[2]

Path to the ballot

• Application was received in the Lieutenant Governor's Office on September 3, 1997.
• A copy of the application and signatures were sent to the Department of Law and Division of Elections on September 3, 1997.
• The Division of Elections determined that there were a sufficient number of sponsor signatures on September 5, 1997.
• The application was certified on September 8, 1997.
• Petition booklets were issued to the initiative committee on September 12, 1997.
• The one year filing deadline was September 12, 1998.
• Petition booklets were submitted to the Division of Elections on January 8, 1998.
• Lieutenant Governor Ulmer certified the petition for this initiative as properly filed on February 17, 1998.
• The initiative appeared on the 1998 general election ballot.^[3]

References

1. ↑ Alaska 1998 election results
2. ↑ Alaska 1998 ballot measure voter guide for initiatives
3. ↑ Ballot initiative history for 97ENGL

v • d • e Initiatives about the English language 2010 Oklahoma State Question 751 2009 Nashville English First Charter Amendment 2008 Missouri Constitutional Amendment 1 • Oregon Ballot Measure 58 2006 Arizona Proposition 103 2002 Colorado English Amendment • Massachusetts Question 2 • Nebraska Amendment 1 2000 Arizona Proposition 203 • Utah Measure A 1998 Alaska English as Official Language Act • California Proposition 227 1988 Colorado English Act • Florida English as Official Language Amendment 1970 Alaska English Eliminated as Voting Requirement 1896 State of Washington Constitutional Amendment 2

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