The Idaho Senate voted 33-0 Tuesday to change some archaic and sometimes offensive words currently in state law to newer, more precise words.

Sen. Les Bock, D-Boise, said changing the words won't affect state law, but would reflect well on Idaho.  "It is a respectful and modern way of looking at a whole group of people,” he said.  Bock said he started working on switching out some words after Idaho hosted the Special Olympics last year.  “From time to time we need to look at what we’ve written down, and change it.”  He said some of the new words reflect greater sensitivity and newer scientific thought.  “We are taking out some older words and putting in some newer words.  The word for mentally retarded would now be intellectually disabled.”

Read IdahoReporter.com's past coverage of Bock's proposal here and here.  The text of Bock's legislation is available here.