2 Council Members Work To Repeal English-Only Ordinance

FREDERICK, Md. (AP) -- Two members of the Frederick County Council have been working to repeal an ordinance passed in 2012 that required that all of the county's official business be conducted in English.

The Frederick News-Post reports (http://bit.ly/1QEmIdR ) Jessica Fitzwater and M.C. Keegan-Ayer introduced a bill to repeal the ordinance Tuesday.

They say the 3-year-old ordinance is ineffective and sends a message of intolerance to county residents from diverse backgrounds and to businesses that may want to operate there.

They say dropping the ordinance would create a more welcoming environment for potential employers and newcomers to the county.

Fitzwater says the ordinance has accomplished nothing because several local and federal laws require that vital documents be available in a number of languages.

A public hearing to discuss the repeal bill will be held July 21.
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Information from: The Frederick (Md.) News-Post, http://www.fredericknewspost.com