CHAPTER 11: COUNTY STANDARDS

Section

English as the Official Language of Carroll County

   11.01   Official English declaration

   11.02   Exceptions

   11.03   Official functions

   11.04   Private use protected

   11.05   Federal and state preemption

   11.06   No cause of action created

   11.07   Effective date

ENGLISH AS THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF CARROLL COUNTY

§ 11.01 OFFICIAL ENGLISH DECLARATION.

   (A)   The English language is the official language of Carroll County, Maryland.

   (B)   The County Commissioners shall take all steps necessary to ensure that the role of English as the common language of the county is preserved and enhanced.

   (C)   The County Commissioners shall take no official action which would diminish or ignore the role of English as the common language of the county.

   (D)   Official actions of county government which bind or commit the county or which give the appearance of presenting the official views or position of the county shall be taken in the English language, and in no other language. Unofficial or non-binding translations or explanations of official actions may be provided separately in languages other than English, if they are appropriately labeled as such and reference is made to a method to obtain the official action. Unless otherwise required by federal or state law, no person has a right to such an official or non-binding translation or explanation, and no liability or commitment of the county shall be based on such a translation or explanation.

   (E)   No ordinance, decree, program, or policy of the county shall require the use of any language other than English for any documents, regulations, orders, transactions, proceedings, meetings, programs, or publications, except as provided in § 11.02.

   (F)   A person who speaks only the English language shall be eligible to participate in all programs, benefits, and opportunities, including employment provided by the county, provided all other eligibility requirements are satisfied, except when required to speak another language as provided in § 11.02.

   (G)   No law, ordinance, decree, program, or policy of the county shall penalize or impair the rights, obligations, or opportunities available to any person solely because a person speaks only the English language.

(Ord. 2013-01, passed 1-24-2013)

§ 11.02 EXCEPTIONS.

   The county may use a language other than English for any of the following purposes, whether or not the use would be considered part of an official action:

   (A)   To teach or encourage the learning of languages other than English;

   (B)   To protect the public health, sanitation, and public safety;

   (C)   To teach English to those who are not fluent in the language;

   (D)   To comply with the Native American Languages Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Voting Rights Act, or any other federal or state law;

   (E)   To protect the rights of criminal defendants and victims of crime;

   (F)   To promote trade, commerce, and tourism;

   (G)   To collect payments, fines, or other financial obligations due and payable to the county;

   (H)   To create or promote mottos or designations, inscribe public monuments, and perform other acts involving the customary use of a language other than English;

   (I)   To utilize terms of art or terms or phrases from other languages which are commonly used in communications otherwise in English; and

   (J)   Printed materials, signage, or other materials or documents of the county printed in languages other than English at the time of the adoption of this subchapter and not otherwise excepted in this section shall not be discarded or reprinted solely in English at the additional cost or expense of the taxpayers of the county until they are exhausted or become otherwise obsolete.

(Ord. 2013-01, passed 1-24-2013)