STATEMENT
RE: HJR 7 -- Official English
"The proposed constitutional amendment to establish English as the official language of all proceedings in Missouri is both unnecessary and fraught with unintended consequences. The measure contains no definition of what constitutes an 'official proceeding' and, therefore, is overly broad. It could deny the services of a translator to non-English-speaking criminal defendants in Missouri courts, which in turn would violate their federal constitutional rights to a fair trial. For crime victims who do not speak English, prohibiting them from speaking through a translator would make it impossible for them to testify in court, denying them the justice they seek and, in essence, revictimizing them. This ill-conceived proposal seeks, for no good reason, to punish non-English speakers - including U.S. citizens and lawful alien residents -- by making it impossible for them to interact with Missouri government. This type of punitive and misguided proposal has no place in Missouri's Bill of Rights."
State Rep. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City
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