Bill Details

HR.1022 - 119th Congress

Track Words Matter for the District of Columbia Courts Act? Stop tracking Words Matter for the District of Columbia Courts Act?

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Status
  1. Introduced
  2. Passed House
  3. Passed Senate
  4. To President
  5. Law
Latest action
2025-02-05 - Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Introduced Date
2025-02-05
Policy Area
Law
Committees
8
0

AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.

This bill updates older and offensive language in the District of Columbia court code by replacing it with more respectful terms for people with intellectual disabilities. It does not appear to change court powers or rights; it mainly changes wording in several sections of the law so the language is more modern and respectful.

  • It changes one reference in the rules for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
  • It changes one reference in the rules for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
  • It changes one reference in the rules for the Family Court.
  • In each place, the bill replaces outdated terms with the phrase “persons with moderate intellectual disabilities.”

Official Summaries

No summaries available

Current Full Text

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1022 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1022

   To amend title 11, District of Columbia Official Code, to revise 
references in such title to individuals with intellectual disabilities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 5, 2025

  Ms. Norton introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
              Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 11, District of Columbia Official Code, to revise 
references in such title to individuals with intellectual disabilities.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Words Matter for the District of 
Columbia Courts Act''.

SEC. 2. REFERENCES TO INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES.

    (a) Jurisdiction of United States District Court.--Section 11-
501(2)(D), District of Columbia Official Code, is amended by striking 
``substantially retarded persons'' and inserting ``persons with 
moderate intellectual disabilities''.
    (b) Jurisdiction of Superior Court.--Section 11-921(a)(4)(D), 
District of Columbia Official Code, is amended by striking 
``substantially retarded persons'' and inserting ``persons with 
moderate intellectual disabilities''.
    (c) Jurisdiction of Family Court.--Section 11-1101(a)(15), District 
of Columbia Official Code, is amended by striking ``the at least 
moderately mentally retarded'' and inserting ``persons with moderate 
intellectual disabilities''.
                                 <all>