HOUSE . . . . . . . No. 4528
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
______________________________________
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. 1 of 13
FILED ON: 4/3/2024
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4528
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
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
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 13, the words “the Massachusetts
3rehabilitation 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
5out, in line 1, the words “the rehabilitation of”.
6 SECTION 3. Said section 74 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
7amended by striking out, in lines 2, 6 and 9, the words “handicapped persons” and inserting in
8place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- persons with disabilities. 2 of 13
9 SECTION 4. Said section 74 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
10amended by striking out, in lines 2 to 3, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
11commission” 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
13out, in line 2, the word “rehabilitation” and inserting in place thereof the following word:-
14MassAbility.
15 SECTION 6. Said section 75 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
16amended by striking out, in lines 10, 79, 81 and 88, the word “he” and inserting in place thereof,
17in each instance, the following word:- they.
18 SECTION 7. Said section 75 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
19amended by striking out, in lines 10, 11, 79, 80 and 82, the word “his” and inserting in place
20thereof, in each instance, the following word:- their.
21 SECTION 8. Said section 75 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
22amended by striking out, in line 85, the word “him” and inserting in place thereof the following
23word:- them.
24 SECTION 9. Section 76 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking
25out, in line 7, the word “handicaps” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- a
26disability.
27 SECTION 10. Said section 76 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
28amended by striking out, in line 11, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following
29word:- their. 3 of 13
30 SECTION 11. Section 77 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
31striking out, in lines 5, 19, 34 and 58, the words “handicapped individual” and inserting in place
32thereof, 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
34amended by striking out, in line 17, the words “handicapped individual’s family” and inserting in
35place 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
37amended by striking out, in lines 25, 29 to 30 and 38, the words “handicapped individuals” and
38inserting 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
40amended by striking out, in lines 34, 53 and 59, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof, in
41each instance, the following word:- their.
42 SECTION 15. Said section 77 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
43amended by striking the definition of “Workshop”.
44 SECTION 16. Said section 77 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
45amended by striking out, in line 49, the words “Handicapped person” and inserting in place
46thereof the following words:- Person with a disability.
47 SECTION 17. Said section 77 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
48amended by striking out, in line 51, the word “handicap” and inserting in place thereof the
49following word:- barrier. 4 of 13
50 SECTION 18. Section 78 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
51striking out, in lines 3 to 4 and 23, the words “handicapped individual” and inserting in place
52thereof, 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
54amended by striking out, in lines 5 and 24, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof, in each
55instance, the following word:- their.
56 SECTION 20. Said section 78 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
57amended by striking out, in lines 8 to 9, 15 and 16 to 17, the words “handicapped individuals”
58and 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
61hereby amended by striking out, in lines 20 and 27, the words “handicapped individuals” and
62inserting 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
64amended 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
66amended by striking out, in line 25, the words “handicapped persons” and inserting in place
67thereof the following words:- persons with disabilities.
68 SECTION 25. Said section 79 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
69amended by striking out, in line 28, the words “handicapped individual” and inserting in place
70thereof the following words:- person with a disability. 5 of 13
71 SECTION 26. Said section 79 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
72amended by striking out, in line 29, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof the following
73word:- their.
74 SECTION 27. Section 81 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
75striking out, in lines 8, 10, 14 and 17, the words “handicapped persons” and inserting in place
76thereof, 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
78striking out, in lines 5 to 6, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and
79inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
80 SECTION 29. Section 84 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
81striking out, in lines 12 and 13, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance,
82the following word:- their.
83 SECTION 30. Said section 84 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
84amended by striking out, in line 24, the words “handicapped person” and inserting in place
85thereof the following words:- person with a disability.
86 SECTION 31. Section 105 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
87striking out, in line 16, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and inserting in
88place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
89 SECTION 32. Section 125 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
90striking out, in line 6, the word “rehabilitation” and inserting in place thereof the following
91word:- MassAbility. 6 of 13
92 SECTION 33. Said section 125 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby further
93amended by striking out, in line 36, the words “the rehabilitation commission” and inserting in
94place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
95 SECTION 34. Section 126 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
96striking out, in line 4, the words “the rehabilitation commission” and inserting in place thereof
97the following word:- MassAbility.
98 SECTION 35. Section 128 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
99striking out, in lines 4 to 5, the words “the rehabilitation commission” and inserting in place
100thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
101 SECTION 36. Section 189 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
102striking out, in line 2, the word “rehabilitation” and inserting in place thereof the following
103word:- MassAbility.
104 SECTION 37. Section 217 of said chapter 6, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
105striking out, in lines 14 to 15, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and
106inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
107 SECTION 38. Section 16 of chapter 6A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
108amended by striking out, in line 32, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission”
109and inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
110 SECTION 39. Section 16F of said chapter 6A, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
111striking out, in line 9, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and inserting in
112place thereof the following word:- MassAbility. 7 of 13
113 SECTION 40. Section 16O of said chapter 6A, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
114striking out, in lines 32 to 33, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and
115inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
116 SECTION 41. Section 59 of chapter 10 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
117amended by striking out, in lines 15 and 19, the word “rehabilitation” and inserting in place
118thereof, in each instance, the following word:- MassAbility.
119 SECTION 42. Section 19 of chapter 15A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
120amended by striking out, in lines 40 to 41, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
121commission” 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
123striking out, in lines 26, 70 to 71, 102 to 103 and 160 to 161, the words “the Massachusetts
124rehabilitation commission” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:-
125MassAbility.
126 SECTION 44. Said section 30A of said chapter 15A, as so appearing, is hereby further
127amended by striking out, in line 113, the words “Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and
128inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
129 SECTION 45. Section 2A of chapter 18 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
130amended by striking out, in lines 14 to 15, 28 to 29 and 44 to 45, the words “the Massachusetts
131rehabilitation commission” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:-
132MassAbility. 8 of 13
133 SECTION 46. Section 9 of chapter 18A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
134amended by striking out, in line 7, the word “rehabilitation” and inserting in place thereof the
135following word:- MassAbility.
136 SECTION 47. Section 4 of chapter 19C of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
137amended by striking out, in lines 29 to 30, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
138commission” 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
140amended by striking out, in line 12, the words “the physically handicapped” and inserting in
141place 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
143amended by striking out, in lines 41, 53, 102 to 103, 109 to 110, 116 to 117, 126, 177, 179 and
144187, the words “physically handicapped persons” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance,
145the following words:- persons with a physical disability.
146 SECTION 50. Said section 13A of said chapter 22, as so appearing, is hereby further
147amended by striking out, in lines 47, 48, 50 and 80 to 81, the words “handicapped persons” and
148inserting 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
150by striking out, in lines 120 to 121, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and
151inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility. 9 of 13
152 SECTION 52. Said section 13A of said chapter 22, as so appearing, is hereby further
153amended by striking out, in line 200, the words “Physically handicapped person” and inserting in
154place 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
156amended by striking out, in line 204, the words “Physically handicapped persons” and inserting
157in 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
159amended by striking out, in lines 6 to 7, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
160commission” 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
162amended by striking out, in line 7, the words “handicapped persons” and inserting in place
163thereof the following words:- persons with disabilities.
164 SECTION 56. Section 7 of said chapter 23H, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
165striking out, in lines 8 to 9, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and
166inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
167 SECTION 57. Section 2RRRRR of chapter 29 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is
168hereby amended by striking out, in lines 3 to 4, the words “the Massachusetts Rehabilitation
169Commission” 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
171further amended by striking out, in lines 5 and 8 to 9, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
172commission” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:- MassAbility. 10 of 13
173 SECTION 59. Section 1 of chapter 31 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
174amended by striking out, in lines 106 to 107, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
175commission” 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
177striking out, in lines 9 to 10, 16, 21 to 22 and 26 to 27, the words “the Massachusetts
178rehabilitation commission” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:-
179MassAbility.
180 SECTION 61. Said section 47 of said chapter 31, as so appearing, is hereby further
181amended by striking out, in line 33, the words “mentally retarded person” and inserting in place
182thereof 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
184amended by striking out, in lines 68 to 69, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
185commission” 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
187amended by striking out, in line 121, the words “physically handicapped person” and inserting in
188place thereof the following words:- person with a physical disability.
189 SECTION 64. Section 6 of chapter 62 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
190amended by striking out, in lines 1341 to 1342 and 1351 to 1352, the words “the Massachusetts
191rehabilitation commission” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility. 11 of 13
192 SECTION 65. Section 38JJ of chapter 63 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
193amended by striking out, in lines 13 and 22 to 23, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
194commission” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:- MassAbility.
195 SECTION 66. Section 12A of chapter 71B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is
196hereby amended by striking out, in lines 17 to 18, the words “sheltered employment,”.
197 SECTION 67. Section 12B of said chapter 71B, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
198striking out, in line 15, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and inserting in
199place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
200 SECTION 68. Section 12C of said chapter 71B, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
201striking out, in lines 36 and 42, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and
202inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:- MassAbility.
203 SECTION 69. Section 17 of said chapter 71B, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
204striking out, in lines 48, 85 and 97, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and
205inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:- MassAbility.
206 SECTION 70. Section 2A of chapter 111 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
207amended by striking out, in lines 2 to 3, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
208commission” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
209 SECTION 71. Said section 2A of said chapter 111, as so appearing, is hereby further
210amended by striking out, in lines 4 to 5, the words “handicapped person” and inserting in place
211thereof the following words:- person with a disability. 12 of 13
212 SECTION 72. Section 4G of said chapter 111, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
213striking out, in lines 10 to 11, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and
214inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
215 SECTION 73. Section 4 of chapter 111B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
216amended by striking out, in lines 20 to 21, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
217commission” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
218 SECTION 74. Section 38B of chapter 121B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is
219hereby amended by striking out, in line 10, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
220commission” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
221 SECTION 75. Section 3W of chapter 143 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
222amended by striking out, in lines 6 to 7, the words “the physically handicapped” and inserting in
223place thereof the following words:- persons with a physical disability.
224 SECTION 76. Section 4 of chapter 151B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
225amended by striking out, in lines 460 to 461, the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation
226commission” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
227 SECTION 77. Section 15E of chapter 166 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is
228hereby amended by striking out, in lines 111 to 112 and 195 to 196, the words “the
229Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the
230following word:- MassAbility.
231 SECTION 78. Section 85V of chapter 231 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is
232hereby amended by striking out, in lines 23 to 24, the words “the physically handicapped or 13 of 13
233mentally retarded” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- persons with a physical,
234intellectual or developmental disability.
235 SECTION 79. Section 3 of chapter 234A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
236amended by striking out, in lines 10 to 11, the words “Physically handicapped persons” and
237inserting in place thereof the following words:- Persons with a physical disability.
238 SECTION 80. The first paragraph of section 1 of chapter 58 of the acts of 2012 is hereby
239amended by striking out the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” and inserting
240in place thereof the following word:- MassAbility.
241 SECTION 81. Section 28 of chapter 62 of the acts of 2014 is hereby amended by striking
242out the words “the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission” each time they appear and inserting
243in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:- MassAbility.