(1) The Honorable Elizabeth A. Connelly was 
elected to the New York State Assembly in 1973 as 
the first woman from Staten Island, New York, 
elected to public office. 
(2) Ms. Connelly retired in 2000 making her 
the longest serving female legislator in the history of 
New York State. 
(3) Through her work on the New York State 
Assembly Mental Health, Mental Retardation, De-
velopmental Disabilities, Alcoholism, and Substance 
Abuse Committee, Elizabeth A. Connelly was a 
champion for individuals with intellectual and other 
developmental disabilities. 
(4) As an Assemblywoman, Ms. Connelly was 
instrumental in securing funds for mental health 
programs and in creating the New York State Com-
mission on Quality of Care for the Mentally Dis-
abled. 
(5) She worked together with parents, advo-
cates, and government leaders to make New York 
State a leader in providing high-quality services and 
programs for individuals with intellectual and other 
developmental disabilities. 
(6) Ms. Connelly was known as the ‘‘guardian 
angel of the mentally disabled’’ in New York State. 
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(7) Her personal commitment and leadership 
helped redefine how individuals with intellectual and 
other developmental disabilities are treated today 
throughout the United States. 
SEC. 3. INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. 
(a) HIGHER EDUCATION ACT
OF 1965.—Section 
760(2)(A) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1140(2)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘with mental 
retardation or’’. 
(b) INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION 
ACT.— 
(1) Section 601(c)(12)(C) of the Individuals 
with 
Disabilities 
Education 
Act 
(20 
U.S.C. 
1400(c)(12)(C)) is amended by striking ‘‘having 
mental retardation’’ and inserting ‘‘having intellec-
tual disabilities’’. 
(2) Section 602 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1401) 
is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (3)(A)(i), by striking 
‘‘with mental retardation’’ and inserting ‘‘with 
intellectual disabilities’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (30)(C), by striking ‘‘of 
mental retardation’’ and inserting ‘‘of intellec-
tual disabilities’’. 
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(c) ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT 
OF 1965.—Section 7202(16)(E) of the Elementary and 
Secondary 
Education 
Act 
of 
1965 
(20 
U.S.C. 
7512(16)(E)) is amended by striking ‘‘mild mental retar-
dation,’’ and inserting ‘‘mild intellectual disabilities,’’. 
(d) REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973.— 
(1) Section 7(21)(A)(iii) of the Rehabilitation 
Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 705(21)(A)(iii)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘mental retardation,’’ and inserting ‘‘in-
tellectual disability,’’. 
(2) Section 204(b)(2)(C)(vi) of such Act (29 
U.S.C. 764(b)(2)(C)(vi)) is amended by striking 
‘‘mental retardation and other developmental disabil-
ities’’ and inserting ‘‘intellectual disabilities and 
other developmental disabilities’’. 
(3) Section 501(a) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 
791(a)) is amended, in the third sentence, by strik-
ing ‘‘President’s Committees on Employment of Peo-
ple With Disabilities and on Mental Retardation’’ 
and inserting ‘‘President’s Committee on Employ-
ment of People with Disabilities and the President’s 
Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities’’. 
(e) HEALTH RESEARCH
AND HEALTH SERVICES 
AMENDMENTS OF 1976.—Section 1001 of the Health Re-
search and Health Services Amendments of 1976 (42 
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U.S.C. 217a–1) is amended by striking ‘‘the Mental Re-
tardation Facilities and Community Mental Health Cen-
ters Construction Act of 1963,’’. 
(f) PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT.— 
(1) Section 317C(a)(4)(B)(i) of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b–4(a)(4)(B)(i)) 
is amended by striking ‘‘mental retardation;’’ and 
inserting ‘‘intellectual disabilities;’’. 
(2) Section 448 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 285g) 
is amended by striking ‘‘mental retardation,’’ and 
inserting ‘‘intellectual disabilities,’’. 
(3) Section 450 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 285g– 
2) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 450. RESEARCH ON INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. 
‘‘The Director of the Institute shall conduct and sup-
port research and related activities into the causes, pre-
vention, and treatment of intellectual disabilities.’’. 
(4) Section 641(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
291k(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘matters relating to 
the mentally retarded’’ and inserting ‘‘matters relat-
ing to individuals with intellectual disabilities’’. 
(5) Section 753(b)(2)(E) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 294c(b)(2)(E)) is amended by striking ‘‘el-
derly mentally retarded individuals’’ and inserting 
‘‘elderly individuals with intellectual disabilities’’. 
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(6) Section 1252(f)(3)(E) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 300d–52(f)(3)(E)) is amended by striking 
‘‘mental retardation/developmental disorders,’’ and 
inserting ‘‘intellectual disabilities or developmental 
disorders,’’. 
(g) HEALTH PROFESSIONS EDUCATION PARTNER-
SHIPS ACT OF 1998.—Section 419(b)(1) of the Health 
Professions Education Partnerships Act of 1998 (42 
U.S.C. 280f note) is amended by striking ‘‘mental retarda-
tion’’ and inserting ‘‘intellectual disabilities’’. 
(h) PUBLIC LAW 110–154.—Section 1(a)(2)(B) of 
Public Law 110–154 (42 U.S.C. 285g note) is amended 
by striking ‘‘mental retardation’’ and inserting ‘‘intellec-
tual disabilities’’. 
(i) NATIONAL SICKLE CELL ANEMIA, COOLEY’S 
ANEMIA, TAY-SACHS, AND GENETIC DISEASES ACT.— 
Section 402 of the National Sickle Cell Anemia, Cooley’s 
Anemia, Tay-Sachs, and Genetic Diseases Act (42 U.S.C. 
300b–1 note) is amended by striking ‘‘leading to mental 
retardation’’ and inserting ‘‘leading to intellectual disabil-
ities’’. 
(j) GENETIC
INFORMATION
NONDISCRIMINATION 
ACT OF 2008.—Section 2(2) of the Genetic Information 
Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (42 U.S.C. 2000ff note) 
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is amended by striking ‘‘mental retardation,’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘intellectual disabilities,’’. 
(k) DEVELOPMENTAL
DISABILITIES
ASSISTANCE 
AND BILL OF RIGHTS ACT OF 2000.— 
(1) Section 109(a)(4)(B)(i) of the Develop-
mental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act 
of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 15009(a)(4)(B)(i)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘the mentally retarded’’ and inserting 
‘‘individuals with intellectual disabilities’’. 
(2) Sections 124(c)(3)(C)(vii) and 143(a)(3)(A) 
of 
such 
Act 
(42 
U.S.C. 
15024(c)(3)(C)(vii), 
15043(a)(3)(A)) are amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘(a)(30)(C)’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘(a)(31)’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘Intermediate Care Facil-
ity (Mental Retardation)’’ and inserting ‘‘inter-
mediate care facility described in that section’’. 
(l) REFERENCES.—For purposes of each provision 
amended by this section— 
(1) a reference to an intellectual disability shall 
be considered to refer to mental retardation, as de-
fined for that provision on the day before the date 
of enactment of this Act; and 
(2) a reference to individuals with intellectual 
disabilities shall be considered to refer to the men-
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tally retarded, or individuals who are mentally re-
tarded, as defined for that provision on that day. 
SEC. 4. REGULATIONS. 
For purposes of regulations issued to carry out a pro-
vision amended by this Act— 
(1) before the regulations are amended to carry 
out this Act— 
(A) a reference in the regulations to men-
tal retardation shall be considered to be a ref-
erence to an intellectual disability; and 
(B) a reference in the regulations to the 
mentally retarded, or individuals who are men-
tally retarded, shall be considered to be a ref-
erence to individuals with intellectual disabil-
ities; and 
(2) in amending the regulations to carry out 
this Act, a Federal agency shall ensure that the reg-
ulations clearly state— 
(A) that an intellectual disability was for-
merly termed mental retardation; and 
(B) that individuals with intellectual dis-
abilities were formerly termed individuals who 
are mentally retarded. 
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