English-only driver's tests passed in Missouri House

English would become the language of Missouri's drivers and roadways under a bill
passed Thursday [March 10] by the state House of Representatives. The House voted to
eliminate all languages except English from driver's license examinations.

The current Missouri driver's test is offered in 11 languages besides English. The
bill's sponsor, Rep. Jerry Nolte, R-Galdstone, said limiting the exam to
English-only would make Missouri roads safer by requiring the driving test to be
administered in the same language that appears on street signs.

"There are substantial number of signs saying things like 'left lane closed' or
'bridge out' that, especially at highway speeds, people need to be able understand
relatively quick for safety," Nolte said.

However, Nolte said there were no statistical data available on how many road
accidents were caused by foreigners because of their incapacity to read English on
traffic signs.

In 2010, more than 10,000 out of 167,000 written tests in Missouri were administered
in foreign languages; the most common were Spanish and Chinese. Of those given in a
foreign language, roughly 3,000 passed.

Critics of the legislation said it discriminates against legal immigrants who have
not learned English and against people who use their driver's license as a form of
identification and for voting.

One of the opponents was Rep. Joe Fallert, D-Ste. Genevieve, who said this bill
would not succeed in removing nonproficient English speakers from Missouri roads,
anyway.

"International driver's license holders and foreigners who got their licenses in
other states were still going to be able to drive here," Fallert said.

However, 102 representatives in the Missouri House defended English-only exams. Rep.
Mark Parkinson, R-St. Charles, said everyone applying for U.S. citizenship is
required to prove a sufficient ability to speak English, which he said should be a
part of the American transition. Parkinson said he saw no reason why requirements
should be lowered when it comes to drivers' license tests.

"Driving is not a right," Parkinson said. "It is a privilege."

After two sessions of discussion, the Missouri House passed the original bill with
an added clause, allowing American sign language interpreters were allowed to
interpret for applicants.

The illiterate already can have the examiner read the test to them, according to a
spokesperson for the Public Information and Education Division of the Missouri
Highway Patrol.

Nolte said another motive for writing the bill was a recent discrimination lawsuit
filed in 2007 against Oklahoma. When immigrants were denied the option of taking the
driving test in Farsi, the predominant language of Iran, they sued the state. 

However, Democrats say this is an anti-jobs move that will make Missouri less
appealing to workers who have not mastered the English language as well as prevent
thousands of legal immigrants from working if they can't drive to their jobs.

The bill heads to the Senate after passing with a 64 percent majority vote in the
House of Representatives.