'R Word' Could Vanish From South Carolina State Law

A bill under consideration in South Carolina would eliminate "the R word" from Palmetto State law, the State reports.

According to the local outlet, the measure would require the following linguistic changes:

• "mental retardation" would be replaced with "intellectual disability"

• “mentally retarded” would be replaced with “persons with intellectual disabilities"

The proposal has been approved by the South Carolina state Senate and is expected to clear the state House. The State reports:

State Rep. Kenny Bingham, R-Lexington, introduced a similar bill in the House.

If passed, the bill would clean up the language in all state laws and codes. To avoid any taxpayer cost, changes in state documents won’t be made until they are next printed or amended.

Iowa station KCRG reports on an effort underway in the Hawkeye State on the high school level to crackdown on the use of the "r word":

Words can hurt, especially the tone or volume, that's why an international campaign hopes to eliminate the use of the "R-Word," or retard. Efforts are underway at Prairie High School in Cedar Rapids aim to replace the word retarded with respect.

It's the new swear word, the R word. But it's a word that the Prairie High school student body and staff don't want in these hallways.

According to the State, South Carolina would follow in the footsteps of at least six other states if it succeeds in passing the word choice changes.