State Language Legislation – 1997-98

California


  • SB 6 – Bilingual education compromise bill, sponsored by Sen. Dede Alpert (D-San Diego); text as amended, 3/23/98 by the Assembly; PASSED BY ASSEMBLY, 39-37, 4/20/98; FINAL VERSION PASSED BY SENATE, 21-13, 5/4/98; VETOED BY GOVERNOR, 5/18/98; veto message; bill status & analysis
  • ACA 7 – Proposed constitutional amendment to create a School Board Bill of Rights, shielding local districts from mandates to use teaching methodologies that have not been tested and certified effective by educational experts. If approved by 2/3 of the legislature, it would be submitted to the voters. If approved by the voters, it would negate the anti-bilingual education initiative scheduled for the June 2 ballot; AMENDED BY ASSEMBLY, 1/13/98; bill status & analysis
  • AB 1206 – Anti-Ebonics; prohibits expenditure of bilingual education funds "for the purpose of recognition of, or instruction in, any dialect, idiom, or language derived from English"; SIGNED INTO LAW by the Governor, 6 October 1997; bill status & analysis 
  • Anti-Bilingual Initiative – Proposition 227 would outlaw most bilingual education programs; qualified for the June 2, 1998, ballot by Secretary of State, 12/23/97; full text

Proposition 63 – Official English amendment to California state constitution (adopted by voters, 1986)

California Legislature