HOUSE . . . . . . . No. 4528
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, April 3, 2024.
The committee on Ways and Means, to whom was referred the Bill to
rename the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, MassAbility, to
reflect the self-determination and limitless possibilities of people with
disabilities (printed in House, No. 4161), reports recommending that the
same ought to pass with an amendment substituting therefor the
accompanying bill (House, No. 4528).
For the committee,
AARON MICHLEWITZ.
 FILED ON: 4/3/2024
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4528
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act to rename the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, MassAbility, to reflect the self-
determination and limitless possibilities of people with disabilities.
Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to
promote equity and increase opportunities for persons with disabilities by renaming the
commission and updating language used to more accurately reflect the values and core mission
of the agency, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the
immediate preservation of the public convenience.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 17 of chapter 6 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
2 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 13, the words “the Massachusetts
3 rehabilitation commission” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
4 SECTION 2. Section 74 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking
5 out, in line 1, the words “the rehabilitation of”.
6 SECTION 3. Said section 74 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
7 amended by striking out, in lines 2, 6 and 9, the words “handicapped persons” and inserting in
8 place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- persons with disabilities.
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 9 SECTION 4. Said section 74 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
10 amended by striking out, in lines 2 to 3, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
11 commission” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
12 SECTION 5. Section 75 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking
13 out, in line 2, the word “rehabilitation” and inserting in place thereof the following word:-
14 MassAbility.
15 SECTION 6. Said section 75 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
16 amended by striking out, in lines 10, 79, 81 and 88, the word “he” and inserting in place thereof,
17 in each instance, the following word:- they.
18 SECTION 7. Said section 75 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
19 amended by striking out, in lines 10, 11, 79, 80 and 82, the word “his” and inserting in place
20 thereof, in each instance, the following word:- their.
21 SECTION 8. Said section 75 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
22 amended by striking out, in line 85, the word “him” and inserting in place thereof the following
23 word:- them.
24 SECTION 9. Section 76 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking
25 out, in line 7, the word “handicaps” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- a
26 disability.
27 SECTION 10. Said section 76 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
28 amended by striking out, in line 11, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following
29 word:- their.
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30 SECTION 11. Section 77 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
31 striking out, in lines 5, 19, 34 and 58, the words “handicapped individual” and inserting in place
32 thereof, in each instance, the following words:- person with a disability.
33 SECTION 12. Said section 77 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
34 amended by striking out, in line 17, the words “handicapped individual’s family” and inserting in
35 place thereof the following words:- family of the person with a disability.
36 SECTION 13. Said section 77 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
37 amended by striking out, in lines 25, 29 to 30 and 38, the words “handicapped individuals” and
38 inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- persons with disabilities.
39 SECTION 14. Said section 77 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
40 amended by striking out, in lines 34, 53 and 59, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof, in
41 each instance, the following word:- their.
42 SECTION 15. Said section 77 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
43 amended by striking the definition of “Workshop”.
44 SECTION 16. Said section 77 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
45 amended by striking out, in line 49, the words “Handicapped person” and inserting in place
46 thereof the following words:- Person with a disability.
47 SECTION 17. Said section 77 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
48 amended by striking out, in line 51, the word “handicap” and inserting in place thereof the
49 following word:- barrier.
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50 SECTION 18. Section 78 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
51 striking out, in lines 3 to 4 and 23, the words “handicapped individual” and inserting in place
52 thereof, in each instance, the following words:- person with a disability.
53 SECTION 19. Said section 78 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
54 amended by striking out, in lines 5 and 24, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof, in each
55 instance, the following word:- their.
56 SECTION 20. Said section 78 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
57 amended by striking out, in lines 8 to 9, 15 and 16 to 17, the words “handicapped individuals”
58 and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- persons with disabilities.
59 SECTION 21. Section 78A of said chapter 6 is hereby repealed.
60 SECTION 22. Section 79 of said chapter 6, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is
61 hereby amended by striking out, in lines 20 and 27, the words “handicapped individuals” and
62 inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- persons with disabilities.
63 SECTION 23. Said section 79 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
64 amended by striking out, in lines 21 to 22, the words “and workshops”.
65 SECTION 24. Said section 79 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
66 amended by striking out, in line 25, the words “handicapped persons” and inserting in place
67 thereof the following words:- persons with disabilities.
68 SECTION 25. Said section 79 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
69 amended by striking out, in line 28, the words “handicapped individual” and inserting in place
70 thereof the following words:- person with a disability.
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71 SECTION 26. Said section 79 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
72 amended by striking out, in line 29, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following
73 word:- their.
74 SECTION 27. Section 81 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
75 striking out, in lines 8, 10, 14 and 17, the words “handicapped persons” and inserting in place
76 thereof, in each instance, the following words:- persons with disabilities.
77 SECTION 28. Section 82 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
78 striking out, in lines 5 to 6, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and
79 inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
80 SECTION 29. Section 84 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
81 striking out, in lines 12 and 13, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance,
82 the following word:- their.
83 SECTION 30. Said section 84 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
84 amended by striking out, in line 24, the words “handicapped person” and inserting in place
85 thereof the following words:- person with a disability.
86 SECTION 31. Section 105 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
87 striking out, in line 16, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and inserting in
88 place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
89 SECTION 32. Section 125 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
90 striking out, in line 6, the word “rehabilitation” and inserting in place thereof the following
91 word:- MassAbility.
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 92 SECTION 33. Said section 125 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
93 amended by striking out, in line 36, the words “the rehabilitation commission” and inserting in
94 place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
95 SECTION 34. Section 126 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
96 striking out, in line 4, the words “the rehabilitation commission” and inserting in place thereof
97 the following word:- MassAbility.
98 SECTION 35. Section 128 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
99 striking out, in lines 4 to 5, the words “the rehabilitation commission” and inserting in place
100 thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
101 SECTION 36. Section 189 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
102 striking out, in line 2, the word “rehabilitation” and inserting in place thereof the following
103 word:- MassAbility.
104 SECTION 37. Section 217 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
105 striking out, in lines 14 to 15, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and
106 inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
107 SECTION 38. Section 16 of chapter 6A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
108 amended by striking out, in line 32, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission”
109 and inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
110 SECTION 39. Section 16F of said chapter 6A, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
111 striking out, in line 9, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and inserting in
112 place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
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113 SECTION 40. Section 16O of said chapter 6A, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
114 striking out, in lines 32 to 33, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and
115 inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
116 SECTION 41. Section 59 of chapter 10 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
117 amended by striking out, in lines 15 and 19, the word “rehabilitation” and inserting in place
118 thereof, in each instance, the following word:- MassAbility.
119 SECTION 42. Section 19 of chapter 15A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
120 amended by striking out, in lines 40 to 41, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
121 commission” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
122 SECTION 43. Section 30A of said chapter 15A, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
123 striking out, in lines 26, 70 to 71, 102 to 103 and 160 to 161, the words “the Massachusetts
124 rehabilitation commission” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:-
125 MassAbility.
126 SECTION 44. Said section 30A of said chapter 15A, as so appearing, is hereby further
127 amended by striking out, in line 113, the words “Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and
128 inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
129 SECTION 45. Section 2A of chapter 18 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
130 amended by striking out, in lines 14 to 15, 28 to 29 and 44 to 45, the words “the Massachusetts
131 rehabilitation commission” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:-
132 MassAbility.
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133 SECTION 46. Section 9 of chapter 18A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
134 amended by striking out, in line 7, the word “rehabilitation” and inserting in place thereof the
135 following word:- MassAbility.
136 SECTION 47. Section 4 of chapter 19C of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
137 amended by striking out, in lines 29 to 30, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
138 commission” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
139 SECTION 48. Section 13A of chapter 22 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
140 amended by striking out, in line 12, the words “the physically handicapped” and inserting in
141 place thereof the following words:- persons with a physical disability.
142 SECTION 49. Said section 13A of said chapter 22, as so appearing, is hereby further
143 amended by striking out, in lines 41, 53, 102 to 103, 109 to 110, 116 to 117, 126, 177, 179 and
144 187, the words “physically handicapped persons” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance,
145 the following words:- persons with a physical disability.
146 SECTION 50. Said section 13A of said chapter 22, as so appearing, is hereby further
147 amended by striking out, in lines 47, 48, 50 and 80 to 81, the words “handicapped persons” and
148 inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- persons with a disability.
149 SECTION 51. Said section 13A of chapter 22, as so appearing, is hereby further amended
150 by striking out, in lines 120 to 121, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and
151 inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
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152 SECTION 52. Said section 13A of said chapter 22, as so appearing, is hereby further
153 amended by striking out, in line 200, the words “Physically handicapped person” and inserting in
154 place thereof the following words:- Person with a physical disability.
155 SECTION 53. Said section 13A of said chapter 22, as so appearing, is hereby further
156 amended by striking out, in line 204, the words “Physically handicapped persons” and inserting
157 in place thereof the following words:- Persons with a physical disability.
158 SECTION 54. Section 6 of chapter 23H of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
159 amended by striking out, in lines 6 to 7, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
160 commission” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
161 SECTION 55. Said section 6 of said chapter 23H, as so appearing, is hereby further
162 amended by striking out, in line 7, the words “handicapped persons” and inserting in place
163 thereof the following words:- persons with disabilities.
164 SECTION 56. Section 7 of said chapter 23H, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
165 striking out, in lines 8 to 9, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and
166 inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
167 SECTION 57. Section 2RRRRR of chapter 29 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is
168 hereby amended by striking out, in lines 3 to 4, the words “the Massachusetts Rehabilitation
169 Commission” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:- MassAbility.
170 SECTION 58. Said section 2RRRRR of said chapter 29, as so appearing, is hereby
171 further amended by striking out, in lines 5 and 8 to 9, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
172 commission” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:- MassAbility.
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173 SECTION 59. Section 1 of chapter 31 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
174 amended by striking out, in lines 106 to 107, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
175 commission” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
176 SECTION 60. Section 47 of said chapter 31, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
177 striking out, in lines 9 to 10, 16, 21 to 22 and 26 to 27, the words “the Massachusetts
178 rehabilitation commission” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:-
179 MassAbility.
180 SECTION 61. Said section 47 of said chapter 31, as so appearing, is hereby further
181 amended by striking out, in line 33, the words “mentally retarded person” and inserting in place
182 thereof the following words:- person with an intellectual disability.
183 SECTION 62. Section 5B of chapter 32 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
184 amended by striking out, in lines 68 to 69, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
185 commission” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
186 SECTION 63. Section 3 of chapter 40A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
187 amended by striking out, in line 121, the words “physically handicapped person” and inserting in
188 place thereof the following words:- person with a physical disability.
189