A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT pertaining to statutory and administrative rule references to people with disabilities.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  It is the intent of the General Assembly to periodically review this State's statutes and update language that refers to people with disabilities in order to continue to effectuate the intent of S.L. 2009‑264.
SECTION 2.  The General Statutes Commission shall recommend to the 2018 Session of the 2017 General Assembly and to the 2019 Regular Session of the General Assembly any statutory changes and drafting policies needed to make the General Statutes and administrative rules refer to a person with a disability as a person first. The goal of the revisions shall be to avoid language that (i) implies that a person as a whole is disabled, (ii) equates a person with his or her condition, or (iii) is regarded as derogatory or demeaning. In making recommendations, the General Statutes Commission shall distinguish those instances where a word or phrase is required by federal law or regulation, is describing a medical diagnosis, or is referring to nonliving entities such as facilities, organizations, programs, services, or zone designations.
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.