LANSING — Today, House Bill 4053 – which would make English the official language in Michigan – passed in the House. In response, state Rep. Sylvia Santana (D-Detroit) issued the following statement:
“I am appalled that with all the emerging issues in the state, House Republicans would vote and pass a bill focused on designating an official state language. This bill does nothing but alienate those that speak a language other than English in our state.
“At the federal level, we don’t even have an official language, so why do we need an official language at the state level? Our government, at the state and federal levels, provides resources in other languages besides English, so we recognize the need to communicate with our residents in multiple languages. There is no need for an official language.”