Massachusetts Scraps 346 Outdated Disability Terms

Massachusetts lawmakers just passed a sweeping bill that removes outdated language describing people with disabilities from 346 sections of state law. The measure, which passed with unanimous support in both chambers, now heads to Governor Maura Healey's desk.

The 61-page bill updates language across the entire General Laws code. Terms like "handicapped," "disabled person," and the r-word will be replaced with person-first language such as "person with a disability" and "person with an intellectual or developmental disability."

State Senator Pat Jehlen, who introduced the legislation, spent years tracking down every instance of outdated terminology. "When people tell us they feel insulted and offended by the use of outdated words, we worked to change the legal language," Jehlen explained in a statement.

The changes go beyond simple word swaps. "Hearing-impaired" becomes "deaf or hard of hearing." "Chronically ill" shifts to "persons who are chronically ill." Terms like "crippled" and "deformed" get scrapped entirely.

The legislation also updates legal definitions that affect how services work. The definition of "caretaker" now references "a person with a disability" instead of "disabled person," putting the person before their condition in every legal context.

The Ripple Effect

This bill builds on Massachusetts' 2024 law that renamed the Rehabilitation Commission to MassAbility. Together, these changes signal a statewide commitment to modernizing how disability services work and how people are treated in legal documents.

The timing matters too. Senate President Karen Spilka noted that updating state laws to respect all residents feels especially important right now. The changes ensure Massachusetts law reflects 21st century values of dignity and inclusion.

Speaker of the House Ronald Mariano put it simply: "As lawmakers, we know that words matter." The legislation removes language that carries negative connotations and serves as a reminder of past injustices.

The bill drew support from disability advocates, including former Senate staff member Melissa Reilly, whose voice helped shape the legislation. Their activism pushed lawmakers to recognize that language isn't static and that respect means listening when people say certain words cause harm.

Massachusetts now joins a growing movement of states updating their legal language to match how we actually talk about disability today.