Rosa's Law

  • The bill is introduced

    The bill is introduced
    Rosa's Law (Pub. L. 111-256) is a United States law which replaces several instances of "mental retardation" in law with "intellectual disability". The bill was introduced as S.2781 in the United States Senate on November 17, 2009 by Barbara Mikulski (D-MD).
  • Period: to

    Rosa's Law

  • Bill passes Senate

    Bill passes Senate
    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 ‘‘Rosa’s Law’’.
    SEC. 2. INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES.
    (a) H
    IGHER
    E
    DUCATION
    A
    CT OF
    1965.—Section 760(2)(A) of the
    Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1140(2)(A)) is amended
    by striking ‘‘mental retardation or’’.
  • Bill passes House of Reps

    Bill passes House of Reps
    It passed the Senate unanimously on August 5, 2010, then the House of Representatives on September 22,
  • Signed into law by Pres. Obama

    Signed into law by Pres. Obama
    President Barack Obama has signed into law Rosa’s Law, which will change references in federal law from mental retardation to intellectual disability, and references to a mentally retarded individual to an individual with an intellectual disability.
  • I pledged

    I pledged
    I pledge and support the elimination of the derogatory use of the r-word from everyday speech and promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.
  • 638,194 Have Pledged

    638,194 Have Pledged
    The R-word is the word 'retard(ed)'. Why does it hurt? The R-word hurts because it is exclusive. It's offensive. It's derogatory. Our campaign asks people to pledge to stop saying the R-word as a starting point toward creating more accepting attitudes and communities for all people. Language affects attitudes and attitudes affect actions. Pledge today to use respectful, people-first language.