(a) On or after September 29, 2006, all new and revised sections of the District of Columbia Official Code, all new, revised, or republished District regulations, rules, policies, or publications and all internet publications shall, when referring to persons with disabilities:
(1) Avoid any use of following terms, except as required by any law or regulation: “afflicted,” “cripple,” “crippled,” “defective,” “feebleminded,” “handicapped,” “handicap,” “idiot,” “lunatic,” “imbecile,” “insane,” “invalid,” “maimed,” “moron,” “suffering,” “wheelchair user,” or “wheelchair bound”;
(2) Use “person,” “people,” “individual,” “individuals,” “adult,” “adults,” “child,” “children,” or “youth” in sentence construction so that the language refers to individuals:
(A) With disabilities or with conditions that result in disability;
(B) Who have disabilities or who have conditions that result in disability; or
(C) Who use or who need assistive technology.
(b) On or after 6 months following September 29, 2006, all policies and signage shall comply with subsection (a) of this section.
(c) Upon the earlier of reprinting or September 30, 2007, all publications shall comply with subsection (a) of this section.
(d) No statute, regulation, or rule shall be invalid because it does not comply with this section.
CREDIT(S)
(Sept. 29, 2006, D.C. Law 16-169, § 3, 53 DCR 6223.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Legislative History of Laws
For Law 16-169, see notes following § 2-631.