Gov. Christie has signed a law removing offensive references to /people with disabilities/ from state statutes and regulations. The bill eliminates outdated terms such as mentally retarded and feebleminded. Preferred terms are intellectual disability and developmental disability.
The new law also promotes so-called "person-first" language. For example, it's preferred to say a person with a disability rather than a disabled person.
Existing laws and regulations will be edited to reflect the change. The Senate sponsor, Senate President Stephen Sweeney, says the legislation is important "because words matter." Sweeney has a daughter who is learning-disabled. - AP