DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 253 Engrossed 2017 Regular Session Smith
Abstract: Revises terminology referring to the deaf and persons who are hard of hearing by deleting
and making substitutions for derogatory, inaccurate, and obsolete terms.
Proposed law revises terminology in present law referring to the deaf and persons who are hard of
hearing by deleting and making substitutions for derogatory, inaccurate, and obsolete terms.
Proposed law provides for the following changes in terminology throughout present law:
(1)Proposed law changes "deaf person" and "hearing-impaired person" to "the deaf and hard of
hearing".
(2)Proposed law changes "the hearing-impaired" to "the deaf or hard of hearing".
(3)Proposed law changes "hearing impairment" to "hearing loss".
Proposed law provides for the following changes to terminology in present law relative to
identification of hearing loss in infants:
(1)Proposed law changes "infants at risk" to "infants susceptible to a hearing disability".
(2)Proposed law changes "at-risk", when referring to a person, to "susceptible".
(3)Proposed law changes "at-risk questionnaire" and "at-risk registry" to "susceptibility
questionnaire" and "susceptibility registry", respectively.
Proposed law provides for revision of terminology relative to the deaf and hard of hearing in
administrative rules, policy documents, professional resources, reference materials, manuals, and
other governmental publications. Proposed law sets forth the following legislative findings and declarations of intent:
(1)Language used to refer to persons with disabilities and other persons with exceptionalities
shapes and reflects attitudes toward and perceptions of those persons by society.
(2)The legislature intends to delete from present law terms that convey negative or derogatory
perceptions of persons with disabilities and other persons with exceptionalities, and to
provide through proposed law for appropriate terminology which conveys no indignity
toward persons with hearing loss.
(3)The legislature intends that no provision of proposed law shall alter or affect in any way the
substance, interpretation, or application of present law or present administrative code.
Proposed law stipulates that nothing in proposed law shall be construed to expand or diminish any
right of or benefit for any person provided by present law or present administrative code.
(Amends R.S. 4:715(B)(2), R.S. 14:32(D)(3) and 39(D)(3), R.S. 17:43(B)(2) and 1942(B), R.S.
21:51(C) and 52(A) and (B), R.S. 22:245, 1027(A), and 1038(C)(2)(a) and (E), R.S. 36:259(N), R.S.
37:2446.1(B)(7) and 2651(7)(b)(v)(hh), R.S. 40:1580.1(A) and 2208, R.S. 42:1119(B)(2)(a)(i), R.S.
45:1355(A), the heading of Ch. 30-A of Title 46 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, R.S.
46:2261, 2262(A) and (C), 2262.1(intro. para.), (4), and (12), 2263(3), (4), and (6)-(8), 2264(A), (C),
and (D), 2265(A)(intro. para.), (9), and (10), 2266(1) and (3)-(5), 2352(7)(a) and (10)(a)(intro. para.),
2361, 2362(2)-(6), 2363-2365, 2367, 2368(B), and 2372, R.S. 47:6301(A)(3), and C.Cr.P.
Art.401.1(B)(intro. para.))