OHIO LEGISLATIVE SERVICE COMMISSION
Office of Research Legislative Budget
www.lsc.ohio.gov and Drafting Office
H.B. 281* Bill Analysis
134th General Assembly
Click here for H.B. 281’s Fiscal Note
Version: As Reported by Senate Health
Primary Sponsors: Reps. Jarrells and Young
Effective Date:
Emma Carroll, Research Analyst
SUMMARY
Replaces various statutory terms related to people with disabilities or mental illness.
Updates statutory provisions relating to assistance dogs, braille teacher standards, the
Children with Medical Handicaps Program, the former Ohio Commission for the Blind,
and accessible parking spaces.
Designates the legislation as the “Mental Health and Disability Terminology Act.”
DETAILED ANALYSIS
Disability and mental illness terminology
The bill replaces various terms in the Revised Code regarding disability and mental
illness. The following table details the words and phrases that are eliminated and the new
language to be substituted.
Disability and Mental Illness Terminology Changes
Existing term/phrase Replacement term/phrase
abnormalities, defects, or deficiencies genotypes, mutations, or chromosomal changes1
addicted has an addiction;2 no provision3
* This analysis was prepared before the report of the Senate Health Committee appeared in the Senate
Journal. Note that the legislative history may be incomplete.
1 R.C. 1751.65(A), 3901.491(A)(1), 3901.501(A)(1); in reference to genetic screening or testing.
2 R.C. 2929.15(A)(3) and (A)(4).
December 14, 2022
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
Disability and Mental Illness Terminology Changes
Existing term/phrase Replacement term/phrase
adjudicated as a mental defective no provision;4 under adjudication of mental
incompetence5
alcoholic person with alcoholism6
alcoholic and narcotic addicted offenders offenders with alcoholism and narcotic addictions7
the blind individuals/persons who are blind8
cognitively impaired residents residents with cognitive impairments9
the communicatively impaired persons with communicative impairments10
community mental retardation and community developmental disabilities programs11
developmental disabilities programs
confined to a wheelchair using a wheelchair12
criminally insane no provision13
crippled child/children child with a disability/children with disabilities14
deaf and dumb deaf15
3 R.C. 340.15.
4 R.C. 2923.125(D)(1)(h)(i), 2923.1213(B)(1)(b), and 2923.13(A)(5).
5 R.C. 2923.128(B)(1)(f).
6 R.C. 2923.13(A)(4), 2935.33, 2945.25(H), 4112.02(N)(2)(e), 4507.08(D)(1), 5119.01, and 5119.61(A).
7 R.C. 5149.30.
8 R.C. 5.226, 3304.31, 3506.19, and 3707.20.
9 R.C. 3721.30(A)(1)(d) and (B)(4).
10 R.C. 4905.79, 5733.56(A)(1) and (B), and 5733.98(A).
11 R.C. 5709.45(H)(1).
12 R.C. 4766.01(D).
13 R.C. 145.012(B).
14 R.C. 3313.55, 4551.05, and 5153.16(A)(6).
15 R.C. 1743.05.
P a g e |2 H.B. 281
As Reported by Senate Health
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
Disability and Mental Illness Terminology Changes
Existing term/phrase Replacement term/phrase
the deaf or hearing impaired persons who are deaf or hearing impaired16
defect disability;17 impairment18
Department of Mental Retardation and Department of Developmental Disabilities19
Developmental Disabilities
derangement lacks the relevant mental capacity20 or mental
illness21
disability parking space accessible parking space22
disabled-accessible voting machine accessible voting machine23
disabled person/disabled persons person with a disability/persons with disabilities24
disabled tenant tenant with a disability25
drug addicted having a drug addiction26
drug dependent person/drug dependent persons person with a drug dependency/persons with drug
dependencies27
16 R.C. 3701.507(A)(12) and (A)(16).
17 R.C. 2151.414(E)(8), 2903.341(B), and 2919.22(A).
18 R.C. 5120.44.
19 R.C. 5126.38(B).
20 R.C. 1.02(C).
21 R.C. 5924.115(A).
22 R.C. 4521.01(E), 4521.02(A), and 4521.10(A)(1) and (G).
23 R.C. 3505.23.
24 R.C. 4508.01(B), 4508.03(B) and (C), and 4508.04(A).
25 R.C. 4112.02.
26 R.C. 2929.15(A)(3).
27 R.C. 2921.22(G)(5), 2923.13(A)(4), 2925.01(B), 2925.02(A), 2945.25(H), 3719.011, 3719.61,
3719.70(B)(1), and 5119.61(A).
P a g e |3 H.B. 281
As Reported by Senate Health
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
Disability and Mental Illness Terminology Changes
Existing term/phrase Replacement term/phrase
elderly and handicapped consumers consumers who are elderly and who have
disabilities28
elderly and handicapped low-income persons low-income persons who are elderly and who have
disabilities29
frail and handicapped older adults adults who are frail or who have disabilities30
functionally impaired person/older adults person with a functional impairment/older adults
with functional impairments31
handicap/handicaps disability/disabilities;32 impairment;33
impediment(s)34
handicap/handicapped accessibility accessibility for persons with disabilities35
handicapped disabled;36 disability37
the handicapped persons with disabilities38
handicapped children children with disabilities39
28 R.C. 4933.122(C).
29 R.C. 122.69(B)(1)(a) and (d).
30 R.C. 173.11(C).
31 R.C. 173.12(B), 2903.10, 2903.13(C)(2), and 2903.16.
32 R.C. 9.03(C)(1)(c), 901.73(C)(1), 1751.14(A)(2)(a), 2901.30(A)(1), 3701.65(C)(6), 3923.24(A)(2)(a) and
(C), 3923.241(A)(2)(a), 5107.26(C)(1), 5153.163(C), and 5515.08(B)(2).
33 R.C. 4121.61(B) and 4123.57(B).
34 R.C. 4115.33(A)(4), 4123.343(A), 5531.12(A), and 5537.03.
35 R.C. 3501.18, 3506.12(A), and 4105.13.
36 R.C. 959.07(A)(6), 3501.29(F), 5101.60(C), and 5501.07(B).
37 R.C. 3999.16, 4766.01(D), 5104.015(V), 5104.017(V), 5104.018(R), and 5104.019(L).
38 R.C. 3335.51 and 5501.05.
39 R.C. 5153.16(A)(8).
P a g e |4 H.B. 281
As Reported by Senate Health
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
Disability and Mental Illness Terminology Changes
Existing term/phrase Replacement term/phrase
handicapped, disabled, or elderly persons/citizens who are elderly or who have
persons/citizens disabilities40
handicapped elector/employee elector/employee with a disability41
handicapped individuals individuals with disabilities42
handicapped license plates accessible license plates43
handicapped parking accessible parking44
handicapped person(s) person with a disability;45 persons with disabilities;46
persons with mobility disabilities;47 persons with
other print disabilities48
handicapping condition disabling condition;49 disability50
the indigent sick and disabled indigent persons who are sick or have disabilities51
lunatics incompetent individuals52
40 R.C. 306.551 and 3501.29(D)(2).
41 R.C. 3501.29 and 4123.343.
42 R.C. 4123.58(F).
43 R.C. 4511.69.
44 R.C. 737.051(B)(2) and 737.161(B)(2).
45 R.C. 4503.04(P)(2), 4511.01(EEE), 4511.69(K)(1), 5153.01(B)(3), and 5153.163(D).
46R.C. 140.01(E), 3335.50, 3335.51, 3335.55, 3375.82(E), 3501.29(B)(1)(a), 3503.12, 3781.19, 3999.16,
4503.04(F), 4503.042(E), 4517.01(FF)(1)(b), 4517.12(A)(4), and 5733.04(I)(9).
47 R.C. 3501.29(B)(1)(b).
48 R.C. 3353.01(G).
49 R.C. 4511.69(K)(1).
50 R.C. 3701.046(A).
51 R.C. 339.11.
52 R.C. 4961.08.
P a g e |5 H.B. 281
As Reported by Senate Health
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
Disability and Mental Illness Terminology Changes
Existing term/phrase Replacement term/phrase
the mentally ill persons with mental illnesses53
be mentally ill/is mentally ill have a mental illness/has a mental illness54
mentally ill or deficient person person with a mental illness or mental impairment55
mentally or physically handicapped child child with a mental or physical disability;56 no
provision57
mentally ill person/mentally ill persons person with a mental illness/persons with mental
illnesses58
mental retardation/mentally retarded intellectual disability/intellectually disabled59
mobility impaired person person with a mobility impairment60
person unable to manage the person’s property incompetent adult61
because of mental illness or deficiency, habitual
drunkard, confined person
53R.C. 145.012(B), 145.298(A)(2), 305.07(A), 325.07, 1713.41, 2919.23(A)(3), 3313.65(A)(1)(d), 3707.20,
5119.311, 5121.56, 5122.28, 5747.03(A)(1), and 5905.02.
54 R.C. 5119.33(A), 5119.331, 5119.40(C), and 5120.17(C)(1).
55 R.C. 2127.43.
56R.C. 2903.15(A), 2919.21(A)(2) and (E), 2919.22(A) and (B), 2919.23(A)(1), 2945.42, 3113.06, and
3113.08.
57 R.C. 2931.02(C) and (D).
58 R.C. 340.011(A), 340.04, 2101.16(A)(75) and (B)(3), 2101.17(A) and (C), 2151.23(A)(4),
2923.125(D)(1)(i), 2923.1213(B)(1)(b), 2923.13(A)(5), 2945.37(A)(7) and (F), 2945.38(B)(2) and (G),
2945.39(A)(2)(b), 2945.40, 2945.401, 2949.29(D), 2967.22, 3702.55(D), 3781.112(A)(4), 3791.031(A)(2),
5119.10(C), 5119.14(A) and (B)(2), 5119.311, 5119.33, 5119.333, 5119.34(B)(2)(a), 5119.40, 5119.50,
5120.051, 5120.17, 5122.01(B), 5122.03(B), 5122.05(C)(3), 5122.10, 5122.11, 5122.111, 5122.13,
5122.141, 5122.15, 5122.19, 5122.21(B), 5122.27(F)(7), 5122.271(A), 5122.30, 5122.311(A), 5122.39,
5122.43(A), 5139.54(A)(3), 5164.15(A)(2), 5165.03(A)(3) and (B)(1), 5305.22, 5321.01(C)(9)(b)(i),
5747.03(A)(2)(b), 5907.06, 5907.09, 5924.503(B)(2), 5924.504(A)(2)(b), and 5924.506.
59 R.C. 5119.70.
60 R.C. 935.03(B)(12), 955.011(B), 955.43, 1533.12(B)(4), and 2921.321.
61 R.C. 2127.05; consistent with definition of “incompetent” in R.C. 2111.01, not in the bill.
P a g e |6 H.B. 281
As Reported by Senate Health
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
Disability and Mental Illness Terminology Changes
Existing term/phrase Replacement term/phrase
physically impaired but mentally alert individual/resident who is physically impaired but
individual/resident mentally alert62
physical or mental deficiency/deficiencies physical or mental disability/disabilities63
physiological defect or deficiency physiological impairment64
productive usefulness/social and economic social and economic participation65
usefulness
severely mentally disabled children, adolescents, persons with severe mental disabilities66
and adults
severely mentally disabled persons persons with severe mental disabilities67
the sick and disabled of the township/municipal persons of the township/municipal corporation who
corporation are sick or have disabilities68
special equipment for persons with disabilities accessible equipment for persons with disabilities69
special license plates accessible license plates70
special needs needs71
special parking locations accessible parking locations72
62 R.C. 3721.011(B)(2)(c), 5119.34(D)(3), and 5123.651(C)(3).
63 R.C. 4111.06 and 4141.01(B)(3)(h)(iii).
64 R.C. 955.011(B)(1).
65 R.C. 3335.50, 3335.51, and 3335.55.
66 R.C. 340.011(A)(5).
67 R.C. 340.03(A)(11), 5119.21(A)(3), 5119.42, and 5119.60(C) and (D).
68 R.C. 513.05 and 749.02.
69 R.C. 4503.44(A)(2) and (B).
70 R.C. 4503.44 and 4511.69.
71 R.C. 5104.015(V), 5104.017(V), 5104.018(R), and 5104.019(L).
72 R.C. 3501.29(B)(1)(b), 3781.111(C) and (E), 4503.44(G), and 4511.69.
P a g e |7 H.B. 281
As Reported by Senate Health
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
Disability and Mental Illness Terminology Changes
Existing term/phrase Replacement term/phrase
suffers from/suffering/suffered from [a has/having;73 with;74 experiences/experiencing75
disease/disability]
Outdated provisions
In addition to the above changes, the bill also updates statutory provisions relating to
assistance dogs, braille teacher standards, the Children with Medical Handicaps Program, the
former Ohio Commission for the Blind, and accessible parking spaces. These changes are
described in more detail below.
Assistance animals
The bill eliminates references to “Ohio Guide Dog Permanent Registrations” and “Ohio
Hearing Dog Permanent Registrations” that were issued prior to 1984 and references to “Ohio
Handicap Assistance Dog Permanent Registrations” that were issued between 1984 and 2004. 76
Braille teachers
Ohio law currently requires that standards for braille teachers be consistent with
standards adopted for teachers by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped of the Library of Congress. The bill updates the name of the organization to the
contemporary name National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled of the Library of
Congress (NLS). Additionally, the NLS no longer issues standards for braille teachers, and the bill
corrects this so that braille teacher standards in Ohio are created in reference to those adopted
by the NLS for braille transcribers.77
73R.C. 901.73(C)(1), 918.05, 959.99(E)(7), 2305.42(A), 2305.43, 2746.02(E), 2907.27(A) and (C), 2929.20(N),
3313.71, 3313.74, 3335.41, 3335.42, 3701.243(C)(4), 3701.79(A)(5), 3701.81(A) and (B), 3707.06(A), 3707.22,
3707.29, 3707.30, 3719.061(B), 4123.68(B), 4123.71, 4173.02(A)(1), 4501.21(B), 4506.07(A)(3),
4507.06(A)(1)(c), 4507.08(D)(3), 4508.01(B), 4747.12(A)(10), and 5101.56(B)(1) and (C)(2)(a).
74 R.C. 5122.36.
75R.C. 2101.24(A)(1)(ee), 2935.33, 4123.70, 4741.221(A)(1), 5119.90(K) and (L), 5119.91, 5119.92(A),
and 5119.93(A) and (B).
76 R.C. 955.011.
77R.C. 3319.232; National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled of the Library of Congress,
Braille Transcription and Proofreading