Calif. Senate acts to bar LPGA English-only policy

[April 17, 2009]  SACRAMENTO (AP) -- The California Senate has voted to make it illegal to hold events that require participants to speak English in a move prompted by the LPGA Tour's English-only proposal.

The women's golf tour wanted last year to require its players to speak English so they could talk with each other and the media, and give acceptance speeches in English.

The LPGA backed off the plan after Sen. Leland Yee and others criticized it as discriminatory.

Yee says the proposal insulted women, minorities and immigrants, and might disqualify the best golfers.

The San Francisco Democrat's bill makes such policies illegal in California without a "business necessity." It was approved Thursday 21-14 without debate.

The measure now heads to the Assembly.

___

On the Net:

Read SB242 at: http://www.sen.ca.gov/

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.