Official English on November Ballot in Idaho

Official English continues to gain traction at the state level. Idaho legislators recently approved House Joint Resolution 6, a constitutional amendment that, if approved by voters, would make English the state’s official language.

The amendment only requires a simple majority to become law, and the language of the constitutional amendment makes it clear that this will have a unifying impact for all state residents: “The amendment could encourage non-English speakers to learn English to be able to better participate in public life. This could promote unity and create a stronger sense of community and shared identity.”

Official English policies also save money at both the state and federal level for costly translation services and multilingual initiatives. A recent analysis shows cutting just one such program in the FY 2027 federal budget would save taxpayers $890 million.

The news out of Idaho follows recent developments in Ohio, where a bill is making its way through the state legislature that would also make English the official law of state government operations.

ProEnglish stands in full support of this constitutional amendment, and will provide updates and developments as they occur.

In the meantime, be sure to take action by contacting your representative and request they support H.R. 1772, and your senator and request they support S. 542.

Both bills are making their way through Congress and would make English the official language of government operations at the federal level.