
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 6, 1991                   TAG: 9103060204
SECTION: NATL/INTL                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO                                LENGTH: Short

PUERTO RICAN SENATE OKS SPANISH-ONLY BILL

Dealing a blow to Puerto Rico's statehood movement, legislators overwhelmingly approved a bill making Spanish the sole official language of this Caribbean island.

The Senate approved the bill by an 18-6 vote late Monday, revoking the Official Languages Act of 1902 that designated both English and Spanish as the languages of the government.

The bill law now returns to the House because it was amended to mandate that English continue to be taught in Puerto Rican schools. However, the House was expected to easily approve the new version since last year it passed the original bill 33-10. Gov. Rafael Hernandez Colon is expected to sign the measure into law this month.

The measure, while politically significant, is unlikely to have much practical effect on the island's 3.6 million inhabitants.

In Puerto Rico, commonwealth business already is conducted in Spanish, and the measure allows U.S. government business, including that of federal courts here, to be conducted in English.

For example, government employees will be allowed to use English in transactions with the federal government and English translations of official documents are to be made available on request.

Statehood advocates claimed the real purpose of the proposed law was to hurt Puerto Rico's chances of becoming the 51st state.

by CNB