{"data":{"id":"us-dc/d.c.-code-2-632","jurisdiction":"us-dc","citation":"D.C. Code § 2-632","heading":"Respectful language.","body":"(a)\nOn 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:\n(1)\nAvoid 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”;\n(2)\nUse “person,” “people,” “individual,” “individuals,” “adult,” “adults,” “child,” “children,” or “youth” in sentence construction so that the language refers to individuals:\n(A)\nWith disabilities or with conditions that result in disability;\n(B)\nWho have disabilities or who have conditions that result in disability; or\n(C)\nWho use or who need assistive technology.\n\n(a-1)\n(1)\nBeginning on Sept. 26, 2012, all new and revised sections of the District of Columbia Code, all new, revised, or republished District regulations, rules, policies, or publications, and all internet publications shall avoid the use of the terms “mental retardation,” “mentally retarded,” and “retarded,” except as required by any law or regulation, and further:\n(A)\nWhere the term “mental retardation” is used, the term “intellectual disability” or “intellectual disabilities” shall be substituted;\n(B)\nWhere the term “intermediate care facility for persons with mental retardation” is used, the term “intermediate care facility for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities” shall be substituted;\n(C)\nWhere the term “qualified mental retardation professional” is used, the term “qualified developmental disability professional” shall be substituted; and\n(D)\nWhere the term “is at least moderately mentally retarded” is used, the term “has at least a moderate intellectual disability” shall be substituted.\n\n(a-2)\nBeginning 6 months after Sept. 26, 2012, all policies and signage shall comply with subsection (a-1) of this section.\n\n(a-3)\nUpon the earlier of reprinting or after one year following Sept. 26, 2012, all publications shall comply with subsection (a-1) of this section.\n\n(b)\nOn or after 6 months following September 29, 2006, all policies and signage shall comply with subsection (a) of this section.\n\n(c)\nUpon the earlier of reprinting or September 30, 2007, all publications shall comply with subsection (a) of this section.\n\n(d)\nNo statute, regulation, or rule shall be invalid because it does not comply with this section.","path":["Title 2. Government Administration.","Chapter 6. Codification and Publication of Acts, Resolutions, Rules, and Orders.","Subchapter IV. Respectful Language Modernization."],"source_url":"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/2-632","current_through":"2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-29T05:44:07Z","sha256":"e364149152bbb4e24fb7459666ff6ffa2755d0f8634c01ac0d9e984b87869495","source_id":"us-dc","stale":false,"prev":"us-dc/d.c.-code-2-631","next":"us-dc/d.c.-code-2-633"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}