Sen. Les Bock
Idaho state law books could soon be free of derogatory references to people with disabilities, like “retarded” or “lunatic.”
Instead, lawmakers are seeking to replace words considered offensive with terms more acceptable in modern day, like “intellectually disabled.”
The House Judiciary Committee on Monday approved a bill revamping state statutes featuring offensive words.
Boise Democrat Sen. Les Bock says keeping words in Idaho code that children and teenagers use to denigrate each other sends the message that the state doesn’t respect the disabled. Bock’s been scouring the code since last summer, finding more than 70 laws that include “idiot,” “handicapped” and “mentally deficient.”
Washington passed a law last year requiring the term “intellectual disability” replace “mental retardation” in statute. (AP)
