H 4396 Massachusetts House · 193rd Legislature (2023-2024)

An Act relative to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities

This bill updates Massachusetts state laws to replace outdated terms like "handicapped" and "mentally retarded" with modern, person-first language such as "individuals with disabilities" and "intellectual or developmental disabilities." The legislation directly affects various statutes within Chapter 6 of the General Laws, which cover areas including employment, veterans' benefits, and general disability protections. By systematically changing these specific words throughout the legal code, the bill ensures that official state documents use respectful and current terminology when referring to people with disabilities.
Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2024
Committee Review
Dec 2024
House Passage
Apr 2024
Senate Passage
Dec 2024
Governor
Introduced Feb 15, 2024 Last action Dec 30, 2024
Floor votes · House Apr 3, 2024

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate. No roll call record of that vote is available.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
13
Key actions
6
Committee
5
Dec 30, 2024
Upper · Passed
Read second, amended (as recommended by the committee on Rules), ordered to a third reading, read third and passed to be engrossed
upper
Dec 30, 2024
Upper · Passed
Committee reported that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session with an amendment, inserting in place thereof the text of S3019
upper
Apr 4, 2024
Committee
Read; and referred to the committee on Senate Rules
upper
Apr 3, 2024
Lower · Passed
Passed to be engrossed - 155 YEAS to 0 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 84 )
lower
Feb 20, 2024
Lower · Passed
Committee reported that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting
lower
Feb 15, 2024
Lower · Passed
Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling
lower
Feb 15, 2024
Lower · Passed
Reported from the committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities
lower
0 primary · 44 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.