The Legislative Assembly finds and declares that it is a policy of this state that:
(1) All persons regardless of any disability have the right to live their lives with dignity and to participate in society and all state programs to the fullest extent possible.
(2) There is a need for education of state employees and the public generally about the capacity of persons with disabilities to participate and compete in the mainstream of society.
(3) Stereotypes and negative labels have no place in state laws and words such as “victim,” “afflicted,” “crippled” and “handicapped” that have connotations of unclean, unworthy, unproductive and begging are judgmental. Wherever possible, words such as these shall be avoided.
(4) The language of state laws shall reflect a positive outlook about persons with disabilities. The worth and uniqueness of each individual citizen is to be emphasized by using words and phrases that emphasize the person first and then identify any disability when relevant. [1989 c.224 §1; 2005 c.411 §3]
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