Proposal would change wording in state laws

LINCOLN – The offensive term “mentally retarded” would be replaced with “intellectual disability” in Nebraska’s laws under LB343.

The Health and Human Services Committee listened to public testimony Wednesday, Feb. 20 at the hearing for the bill, which was introduced by Sen. Colby Coash of Lincoln.

In his opening statement, Coash told the committee that it’s time to update the language that was once used by the medical community.

“If we didn’t do this from time to time, our statutes would be full of the words ‘idiot’, ‘moron’ and ‘imbecile,’” he said. “The word ‘retardation’ has also been hija...