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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the use of respectful terminology in provisions of |
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Texas statutes relating to the deaf community. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 392.002, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 392.002. USE OF PERSON FIRST RESPECTFUL LANGUAGE |
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REQUIRED. (a) The legislature and the Texas Legislative Council |
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are directed to avoid using the following terms and phrases in any |
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new statute or resolution and to change those terms and phrases used |
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in any existing statute or resolution as sections including those |
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terms and phrases are otherwise amended by law: |
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(1) disabled; |
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(2) developmentally disabled; |
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(3) mentally disabled; |
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(4) mentally ill; |
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(5) mentally retarded; |
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(6) handicapped; |
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(7) cripple; and |
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(8) crippled. |
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(b) In enacting or revising statutes or resolutions, the |
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legislature and the Texas Legislative Council are directed to |
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replace, as appropriate, terms and phrases listed by Subsection (a) |
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with the following preferred phrases or appropriate variations of |
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those phrases: |
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(1) "persons with disabilities"; |
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(2) "persons with developmental disabilities"; |
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(3) "persons with mental illness"; and |
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(4) "persons with intellectual disabilities." |
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(c) The legislature and the Texas Legislative Council are |
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further directed to avoid using the terms "hearing impaired," |
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"hearing loss," "auditory impairment," and "speech impaired," in |
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reference to a deaf or hard of hearing person in any new statute or |
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resolution. The legislature and the Texas Legislative Council shall |
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replace the terms in this subsection in existing statute or |
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resolution with the words "deaf" or "hard of hearing," as |
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appropriate. |
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(d) A statute or resolution is not invalid solely because it |
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does not employ this section's preferred phrases. |