After Advocacy From Students, Massachusetts Senate Strikes Outdated Term From State Law
Senate votes to replace decades-old language with modern terms
(BOSTON—6/23/2026) The Massachusetts Senate acted today to support the dignity of people who are deaf or hard of hearing by making sure that state laws use accurate and respectful terminology.
During today’s session, the Senate passed legislation to strike outdated language from state laws that long referred to people who are deaf or hard of hearing as being ‘hearing impaired.’
“Every Massachusetts resident deserves to be treated with dignity in our state laws,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “In Massachusetts, we celebrate our differences and the things that make us who we are, and we do so without using outdated labels. This bill corrects a wrong and is a strong step forward in our laws showing all of our residents, including residents who are deaf or hard of hearing, the respect they are entitled to. Thank you to Leader Creem for her strong advocacy, and to Senator Collins for shepherding this through the committee process.”
“Words shape how we see one another, and our laws are no exception,” said Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Stone Creem (D-Newton), lead sponsor of the legislation. “This bill takes a simple but important step toward ensuring that the words we use reflect respect, accuracy, and the preferences of the communities they describe. I’m proud the Senate is taking decisive action to help modernize our statutes and affirm the dignity of deaf and hard of hearing individuals across Massachusetts, and I’m grateful to the students of Newton’s CAPS Deaf & Hard of Hearing Program for bringing this issue to my attention.”
“Members of the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community have been advocating for this change for years, and they made a compelling case that the language currently found in our laws no longer reflects the people it is meant to describe,” said Senator Nick Collins (D-South Boston), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. “This legislation makes a commonsense update to our statutes and reflects the respect that community deserves. Our laws should evolve alongside the people they serve, and it is important that the language we use reflects both the dignity of all residents and the Commonwealth’s commitment to treating every person with respect. It is a small change on paper, but an important step in ensuring our laws continue to reflect the values of Massachusetts.”
The legislation replaces the term ‘hearing impaired’ with the phrase ‘deaf or hard of hearing’ in numerous instances of state law. Several states including New Hampshire and New York have passed similar bills.
The Senate passed the bill today and sent it to the House of Representatives for further review.
Statement of Support
Debbie Knisell, Teacher of the Deaf, CAPS Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program, Newton North High School
“What began as a classroom English assignment evolved into a successful advocacy campaign to replace outdated language affecting the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community. I am thankful that Senator Creem and the Senate took my students’ advocacy into consideration and made a commitment to fostering and promoting more respectful and inclusive language.”
###
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
