HB1296

House Bill 1296 is a technical corrections bill aimed at updating the Arkansas Code to use person-first, respectful language when referring to individuals with disabilities. The bill systematically replaces outdated, potentially stigmatizing terms—such as 'handicapped person,' 'deficiency,' or 'blind person'—with updated, neutral phrasing like 'individual with a disability' or 'individual who is blind or has visual impairments.' These changes are made across multiple sections of the Arkansas Code, including those related to labor, respiratory care, speech-language pathology, social services, education, and state rehabilitation programs. The bill explicitly states that these modifications are for the purpose of using respectful language and do not change the underlying legal meaning or legislative intent of the existing statutes. It also includes a construction clause to ensure that these technical updates do not conflict with other acts passed during the 2023 legislative session. No new programs are created, and no substantive policy shifts occur; the bill is purely a linguistic update to state law.