News & Media

Iowa Court Rules Secretary of State’s Actions Violate Official English Law

Claims that law is “unconstitutional” decisively rejected

Iowa District Court Judge Douglas Staskal ruled today that the Iowa Secretary of State violated the state’s official English law by providing voter registration materials in foreign languages. The decision, in a case brought by U.S. English, U.S. Representative Steve King and eight Iowa citizens, including four County Auditors against Secretary of State Michael E. Mauro, represented the first legal test of official English legislation this decade. 

In his decision, Judge Staskal rejected the argument of the Secretary of State that the law was unconstitutional and further denied the legal claim that provision of voter registration forms in Spanish, Vietnamese, Laotian and Bosnian was a valid exception to the law. 

“This is a resounding legal victory for official English legislation and the majority of Iowans who backed the state’s official English law,” said Mauro E. Mujica, Chairman of the Board of U.S. English, Inc. “The court has rejected the Secretary of State’s attempted end run around the legislative intent of the law and made it patently clear that the government has the right to control the message it sends to the public. I am pleased to see that Judge Staskal has upheld the English Language Reaffirmation Act and decided that it is a solid, Constitutional law.” 

In 2002, the Iowa legislature passed a measure, authored by then-state Senator Steve King, to make English the official language of the state. It passed by a wide margin with strong bipartisan support. The legislation was signed into law by then-Governor Tom Vilsack. As enacted, the bill makes English the official language of all government business, with specific exceptions for areas such as public health, criminal defense, trade, and tourism. 

“Judge Staskal’s decision is beneficial to my office and the constituency I serve,” said Jefferson County Auditor Scott Reneker. “It is neither financially feasible nor good public policy to offer printed documents in every language spoken in the state. Iowa’s English Language Reaffirmation Act was enacted to stop this unnecessary practice, and I am pleased to see that this law has been upheld.” 

“At a time when we must encourage English learning, state agencies should have the expectation that immigrants are on the road to understanding our common language,” added Mujica. “Iowa’s law was designed to eliminate the permanent linguistic crutch that keeps many from taking advantage of all of the opportunities available in America.”

U.S. English, Inc. is the nation's oldest and largest non-partisan citizens' action group dedicated to preserving the unifying role of the English language in the United States. Founded in 1983 by the late Sen. S.I. Hayakawa of California, U.S. English, Inc. (www.usenglish.org) now has more than 1.8 million members.