Quiet Bill Yields Huge Change

In my blog I have revealed the fact that I have been in this field a number of years now. Over the course of those years I have seen a lot of change. It’s the change prompted by self-advocates that have always caught my attention. That change was fought in a variety of ways – from the sit-ins during the 70’s to push for rights associated with the Voc Rehab Act of 1973 to the campaigning for total civil rights in the late 80’s to push for the adoption of the Americans With Disabilities Act to become a reality (the 20th anniversary of the signing will be this July 26th). And most recently in the Washington State Legislature this past session with the passage and subsequent signing of HB 2490 Respectful Language Bill. No there were no sit-ins or mass demonstrations and if you weren’t careful you would have missed this effort because huge problems like severe service cutbacks seemed paramount in many people’s minds.

However the people with significant disabilities I talked to at the legislative reception held in January the conversation was around this respectful language bill. Why was this important – well it was for respect and acceptance in my opinion. Personally not having been tagged with a label (well other than the most recent geezer) I can’t relate to being called a derogatory name – but I have experienced repeatedly in the presence of individuals with disabilities and other minorities groups name calling and many, many forms of discrimination and derogatory references. So while it may not seem like much for those of us who are not of a minority group – this is huge and I applaud the legislature, the Governor and the countless advocates and self-advocates who worked on this bill and to Representative Jan Angel the bill sponsor – well you deserve a huge thanks and much gratitude for taking this on. I have copied a piece of the bill below.

The code reviser is directed to avoid all references to: Disabled, developmentally disabled, mentally disabled, mentally ill, mentally retarded, handicapped, cripple, and crippled, in any new statute, memorial, or resolution, and to change such references in any existing statute, memorial, or resolution as sections including these references are otherwise amended by law. (b) The code reviser is directed to replace terms referenced in (a) of this subsection as appropriate with the following revised terminology: “Individuals with disabilities,” “individuals with developmental disabilities,” “individuals with mental illness,” and “individuals with intellectual disabilities.”

Who knows why at this time such a law passed? Maybe the legislature thought well we will “toss them a bone” and give them this because in the budget we are cutting their dental benefits, or they will be out of a job because we are going to lop funding. Or maybe this was an easy thing to pass – something concrete because the huge unanswered budget question was too large and took an extra session to address. Or just maybe everyone thought that in law it isn’t respectful to have words like cripple when we mean individuals with disabilities or retarded when we mean individuals with intellectual disabilities. I’d like to think the latter after all everyone deserves respect even in outdated, obscure laws.


CEO Viewpoint is published by Jim Larson, CEO Morningside

This space is intended to share my thoughts and update the community on issues concerning Morningside and its clients as well sharing inspirational employment stories.

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