BOSTON — House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) and State Senator Brendan P. Crighton (D-Lynn) hailed the passage of legislation amending state laws by striking offensive and derogatory terminology that has historically been used to stigmatize individuals with disabilities.
Senate Bill 2941, which was enacted by the House and Senate on Sept. 5, also renames the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission as “MassAbility” to better reflect its ongoing efforts to support people with disabilities and to help them live independently. The bill, which was signed into law by Governor Maura Healey on Sept. 12, is a redrafted version of legislation she originally filed on Nov. 2, 2023.
“Individuals should never be defined based on their disability but rather should be recognized for their abilities and all that they can do and accomplish,” Jones said. “This bill removes offensive language from our state laws and acknowledges everyone’s potential to succeed without being pigeonholed into a harmful stereotype. It also recognizes the important work the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission does to empower people with disabilities by changing the Commission’s name to the forward-looking ‘MassAbility’.”
“People with disabilities deserve to have their identities and lived experiences respected, and they should not be subjected to derogatory language, especially in our state laws,” Crighton said. “This legislation sets a tone of respect, inclusion, and compassion for the entire Commonwealth by removing outdated and offensive language from our laws and highlighting the incredible work done by the newly renamed MassAbility.”
Senate Bill 2941 replaces outdated references to a “mentally retarded person” with the words “person with an intellectual disability.” It also strikes and replaces references to “handicapped persons” with “persons with disabilities”; “handicapped individual” with “person with a disability”; and the terms “the physically handicapped” and “physically handicapped persons” with the words “persons with a physical disability”.
Established in 1956, the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission offers vocational rehabilitation, job placement, independent living, and community-based services to people with disabilities. The Commission currently serves approximately 20,000 individuals in Massachusetts.
“This historic legislation represents the state’s commitment to propelling the disability movement forward,” Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commissioner Toni Wolf said. “Language has the power to shape people and culture, tackle stigmas, biases, and stereotypes. For too long, the words we’ve used have not reflected the strengths, resilience, and determination of the disability community. This legislation changes that. We are changing life in Massachusetts for the better, making it more equitable, accessible, and inclusive for people with disabilities.”
