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1996 SESSION

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CHAPTER 829 An Act to amend and reenact § 22.1-212.1 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 7.1 a chapter numbered 7, consisting of a section numbered 7.1-42, relating to English as the official language of the Commonwealth. [S 582] Approved April 8, 1996

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 22.1-212.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Title 7.1 a chapter numbered 7, consisting of a section numbered 7.1-42, as follows:

CHAPTER 7. OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF THE COMMONWEALTH.

§ 7.1-42. English designated the official language of the Commonwealth.

English shall be designated as the official language of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Except as provided by law, no state agency or local government shall be required to provide and no state agency or local government shall be prohibited from providing any documents, information, literature or other written materials in any language other than English.

§ 22.1-212.1. Obligations of school boards.

English shall be designated as the official language of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Pursuant to § 7.1-42, school boards shall have no obligation to teach the standard curriculum, except courses in foreign languages, in a language other than English. School boards shall endeavor to provide instruction in the English language which shall be designed to promote the education of students for whom English is a second language.