1986 California Proposition 63

The 1986 Proposition 63, titled Official State Language, was a proposition in the state of California on the November 4, 1986 ballot. The ballot initiative created Article III, Section 6 of the California Constitution and made English the official language of the state. The measure passed by a 46.5% margin.[1][2] Due to superseding federal laws, the provision is effectively null and was later designated as merely "advisory" by the state attorney general.[3]

Proposition 63
November 4, 1986 (1986-11-04)
Official State Language
Results
Choice
Votes %
Yes 5,138,577 73.25%
No 1,876,639 26.75%

Text

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The text of the ballot measure is as follows:

Provides that English is the official language of the state of California; requires the legislature to enforce this provision by appropriate legislation; charges the legislature with preserving and enhancing the role of English as the common language of the state, requiring that no law may be passed that ignores or diminishes this role; and provides for any resident or person doing business in the state to sue the state to enforce these provisions.[4]

See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^ MacKaye 1990, p. 136.
  2. ^ "California Proposition 63, English as the Official Language Initiative (1986)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  3. ^ Dillow, Gordon (May 21, 2006). "English-only law likely would go unenforced". Orange County Register. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  4. ^ "California Proposition 63, English as the Official Language Initiative (1986)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2023-07-04.

Works cited

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  • MacKaye, S. D. (1990). "California proposition 63: Language attitudes reflected in the public debate". The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. 508 (1): 135–146. doi:10.1177/0002716290508001011. S2CID 145764482.
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