Utah Initiative A, English as Official State Language Measure (2000)

Utah Initiative A
Election date November 7, 2000
Topic English language policy
Status Approved
Type Initiated state statute	Origin Citizens

Utah Initiative A was on the ballot as an initiated state statute in Utah on November 7, 2000. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported making English the official language of the state and requiring that: all government documents be written in English, absent some exceptions required by federal and state law; public and higher education systems promote learning English and foreign language; and monies previously designated for services in a non-English language are returned to the General Fund.

A "no" vote opposed making English the official language of the state.

Election results

Utah Initiative A
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		496,066	67.18%
No		242,311	32.82%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Initiative A was as follows:

“

Shall a law be enacted to: declare English Utah's official and sole language for state and local government documents and action;  exempt those documents and actions required by the United States and Utah constitutions; federal law and regulations; law enforcement, public safety, and health requirements; public and higher education; certain judicial proceedings; economic development and tourism; and libraries; require public and higher education to enact rules to promote learning and using English and encouraging learning foreign language; and  return to the General Fund monies appropriated or designated for services in another language, and require accounting?

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Background

See also: History of English as official language ballot measures and laws

The following is a list of state ballot measures to designate English as an official state language:

State official language ballot measures
State	Year	Measure	Origin	Language(s)	Yes	No	Outcome
Nebraska	1920	Amendment 3: English as Official State Language	Convention	English	83.63%	16.37%	a
Hawaii	1978	Amendment 31: Preamble, Official Languages, and Motto Measure	Convention	English and Hawaiian	69.72%	30.28%	a
California	1986	Proposition 63: English as Official State Language	Initiative	English	73.25%	26.75%	a
Arizona	1988	Proposition 106: English as Official State Language	Initiative	English	50.50%	49.50%	a
Colorado	1988	Amendment 1: English as Official State Language	Initiative	English	61.15%	38.85%	a
Florida	1988	Amendment 11: English as Official State Language	Initiative	English	83.87%	16.13%	a
Alabama	1990	Amendment 1: English as Official State Language	Legislature	English	88.52%	11.48%	a
Alaska	1998	Measure 6: English as Official State Language	Initiative	English	68.60%	31.40%	a
Utah	2000	Initiative A: English as Official State Language	Initiative	English	67.18%	32.82%	a
Arizona	2006	Proposition 103: English as Official State Language	Legislature	English	74.00%	26.00%	a
Missouri	2008	Amendment 1: English as Official State Language	Legislature	English	86.31%	13.69%	a
Oklahoma	2010	State Question 751: English as Official State Language	Legislature	English	75.54%	24.46%	a
Idaho	2026	HJR 6: English as Official State Language Amendment	Legislature	English	TBD	TBD	TBD

Path to the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in Utah

An initiated state statute is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends state statute. Proponents collected signatures to put the initiative on the ballot.

See also

2000 Measures

• 2000 Measures
• English language policy on the ballot
• 2000 legislative sessions

Utah

• Utah ballot measures
• Utah ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• Utah Voter Guide (2000)