Montana Symbols
Montana State Language
English
Adopted in 1895.
English was adopted in 1895 as Montana's State Language.
5.2 percent of this state's residents speak a language other than English. The most common of these languages are German, Spanish, Crow, and French.
Montana State Language: English
Montana Advance Legislative Service, 1995, Act 319
Section 1. English as official and primary language of state and local governments.
(1) English is the official and primary language of:
(a) state and local governments;
(b) government officers and employees acting in the course and scope of their employment; and
(c) government documents and records.
(2) A state statute, local government ordinance, or state or local government policy may not require a specific foreign language to be used by government
officers and employees acting in the course and scope of their employment or for government documents and records or require a specific foreign language
to be taught in a school as a student's primary language.
(3) This section is not intended to violate the federal or state constitutional right to freedom of speech of government officers and employees acting
in the course and scope of their employment. This section does not prohibit a government officer or employee acting in the course and scope of employment
from using a language other than English, including use in a government document or record, if the employee choose, or prohibit the teaching of other
languages in a school for general educational purposes or as secondary languages.
