Senator Lewis Celebrates Removal of the R-Word from State Law

State Senator Jason Lewis joined his colleagues in the Massachusetts Legislature to remove outdated and offensive terminology from state law.

The bill strikes the “r-word,” a derogatory slur for people with disabilities, along with other outdated terms and phrases out of state law and replaces them with current terminology such as “person with a disability.”

“Allowing this offensive terminology to exist in an official capacity has been extremely damaging,” said Senator Jason Lewis. “It is important that we keep our laws up-to-date and use language that uplifts people and communities instead of harming them. With this change, we are making sure the law correctly represents what we stand for in Massachusetts.”

After passing in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, this legislation was signed into law on June 12, 2026 by Governor Maura Healey.