The Massachusetts legislature has passed a bill aimed at removing outdated language used to describe individuals with disabilities from the state's General Laws. The legislation will replace terms such as "handicapped," "disabled," and the "r-word" with more respectful phrases like "persons with a disability" and "person with an intellectual or developmental disability."
The bill, introduced by Democratic state Senator Pat Jehlen and supported by 17 petitioners, is now awaiting approval from Governor Maura Healey. It updates 346 sections of Massachusetts law.
Senator Jehlen stated, "Language is constantly changing. And it's changing because of the activism of people who were ignored and demeaned for too long. When people tell us they feel insulted and offended by the use of outdated words, we worked to change the legal language."
The bill also removes terms such as "crippled" and "deformed," and revises phrases like "hearing-impaired" to "deaf or hard of hearing." Additionally, it amends the definition of "caretaker" to reflect the updated language.
Senate President Karen Spilka remarked, "When dusty and dangerous relics of a bygone era darken our laws, it creates the potential for real harm to residents today." The legislation received broad support, passing with unanimous votes in both chambers of the legislature.