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Senate unanimously approves law replacing derogatory language for people with disabilities
Summary
The Massachusetts Senate passed An Act Dignifying Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (S.137), replacing hundreds of outdated, offensive references in state law with modern, person-first language and ordering the bill to a third reading and engrossment by unanimous roll call.
The Massachusetts Senate unanimously approved An Act Dignifying Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (Senate No. 137), a bill to replace outdated and offensive language in the state statutes, after extended floor remarks by the bill sponsor and multiple senators.
The bill’s sponsor, Senator Patricia D. Jalen, urged colleagues to adopt respectful language in law, saying, “Words are important. Language changes. And we should use language that respects the people it refers to and listen to them.” She told the chamber the bill would remove roughly 362 statutory references the disability community regards as disrespectful and replace them with contemporary person‑first wording.
The measure updates references across many areas of…
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