State Representative Lipper-Garabedian Joins Massachusetts House to Pass Bill that Removes Outdated and Offensive Terms in General Laws

Bill removes out-of-date and offensive terms related to persons with disabilities

BOSTON – Wednesday, November 5, 2025 – State Representative Lipper-Garabedian joined the Massachusetts House of Representatives today to pass a bill that removes outdated and offensive language in the General Laws to describe persons with disabilities. The language in the bill removes all variations of outdated terms such as “handicapped,” “disabled,” and the “r-word.” The bill replaces these terms with current terminology such as “person with a disability.”

“Words hold power, and it is important that our state laws reflect the values that we teach our children and expect those around us to model,” said State Representative Lipper-Garabedian (D-Melrose). “Archaic, bigoted terms have no place in the statutes of a Commonwealth where all are welcome and recognized for their contributions to our communities. Thank you to Speaker Mariano for making this bill a priority.”

“As lawmakers, we know that words matter,” said Speaker of the House Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “This legislation is our latest effort to ensure that our state laws do not use antiquated words that carry negative connotations, words that also serve as a reminder of past injustices. I would like to thank Representatives Livingstone, Finn and Garballey for their work on this important legislation.”

Last year, the Massachusetts Legislature renamed the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) as MassAbility, a change that defines the agency’s role in supporting residents with disabilities live independently. The name change reflects the intention to empower individuals living with disabilities and move away from outdated terminology as the office undergoes broad changes towards a more expansive model for disability employment services and independent living.

The bill passed the House of Representatives 154-0 and now moves back to the Senate for further consideration.

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