Minnesota Session Laws - 2005, Regular Session

                             CHAPTER 56-H.F.No. 487 
                  An act relating to state government; changing 
                  terminology for mentally retarded, mental retardation, 
                  physically handicapped, and similar terms. 
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  [REVISOR INSTRUCTION.] 
           (a) The revisor of statutes shall change the terms in 
        column A to the terms in column B, wherever they appear in 
        Minnesota Statutes, 
                 Column A                     Column B
            "mental retardation"       "developmental disability" 
            "mental retardation or     "developmental disability"
            a related condition";      
            "mental retardation        
            and related condition"     
            "mentally retarded"        "developmentally disabled"
            "handicapped persons"      "disabled persons"
            "handicapped children"     "disabled children" or
                                       "children with disabilities,"
                                       whichever term is most appropriate
                                       in the context of the sentence
            "handicapped dependents"   "disabled dependents"
            "handicapped"              "disabled," "disability," or
                                       "people with disabilities,"
                                       whichever term is most appropriate
                                       in the context of the sentence
            "handicaps"                "disabilities"
            "idiots"                   "developmentally disabled"
           (b) Where the terms in column B are substituted in statute, 
        insert "person" or "people" if not already used in the existing 
        sentence structure. 
           Sec. 2.  [MINNESOTA RULES.] 
           The Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities, in 
        consultation with the Department of Administration and the 
        Department of Human Services, shall review Minnesota Rules and 
        provide to the revisor of statutes a list of Minnesota Rules 
        containing outdated language specified in section 1 and the 
        appropriate terminology changes that must be made in each of the 
        rules.  The revisor of statutes shall make the indicated changes 
        in Minnesota Rules. 
           Sec. 3.  [STATE AGENCIES.] 
           State agencies shall use the terminology changes specified 
        in section 1 when printed material and signage are replaced and 
        new printed material and signage are obtained.  State agencies 
        do not have to replace existing printed material and signage to 
        comply with sections 1 and 2.  Language changes made according 
        to sections 1 and 2 shall not expand or exclude eligibility to 
        services. 
           Presented to the governor May 12, 2005 
           Signed by the governor May 16, 2005, 4:11 p.m.