Chairman opposes English-only bill

Friday, May 16, 1997 | 4:49 a.m.

"At the present time, I don't plan to hear it," Government Affairs Chairman Doug Bache, D-Las Vegas, said Wednesday. "I've had quite a few calls against it."

Bache said he wants to see the outcome of a 1995 court case over English-only laws in Arizona before considering similar laws in Nevada.

In Yniguez v. Arizonans for Official English, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declared English-only laws unconstitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal.

The sponsor of Assembly Bill 441, conservative first-term Assemblyman Don Gustavson, R-Sun Valley, said Thursday that the Supreme Court's ruling leaves the question of constitutionality unanswered.

"There's already been an outcome in Arizona, and the case is moot," Gustavson said. "There's no precedent to call English-only laws unconstitutional."

Gustavson said he has received many calls in favor of the bill. Telephone polls at the Legislature support his claim -- so far, 33 people have called supporting the bill, while seven opposed it.

AB441 would require all state business to be conducted in English and would also make state agencies document how much money they spend printing information in other languages.

In reality, the bill would change very little. Other languages could still be used in information printed to promote tourism or teach English. The bill also wouldn't apply to any situations where English-only laws would jeopardize public health or court proceedings.

Gustavson has said that the bill would help immigrants assimilate more quickly and would also save the state money. But Bache insists the laws aren't necessary.

"This could start a big war over something we don't really need," Bache said.