MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - It’s back to the Vermont Senate for a bill that tries to make the language in Vermont’s laws more respectful of different types of people.
The bill replaces phrases like “mental retardation” with “intellectual disability” in Vermont’s laws, and removes archaic references to idiots and imbeciles.
The House on Wednesday amended a Senate version, in part by replacing the phrase “persons who are elderly” with “elders.”
People were interested in these podcasts
Rep. Donna Sweaney (’SWAY-nee’), who chairs the House Government Operations Committee, said the word “elders” seemed more respectful than “elderly.”
In many other instances, the language was changed to put the phrase “persons with” before various conditions, as in “persons with disabilities.”
Please read our comment policy before commenting.