(Provided by Autism-society.org)
Rosa's Law would change terms used in various federal laws
Late in the evening on August 5, the Senate adopted, by unanimous consent, Rosa’s Law (S. 2781). This bill would change the terms “mental retardation” and “mentally retarded” to “intellectual disability” and “intellectually disabled” in various federal laws that primarily relate to education and employment. The bill is solely intended to eliminate antiquated terminology. Rosa’s Law would not affect eligibility for services or expand or reduce service availability. Attention now shifts to the House where a similar bill, known as the Elizabeth A. Connelly Act (H.R. 4544), is still awaiting committee action.