Press Release: 9/3/2025
Senator Lewis and Mass. Senate Remove R-Word and Archaic Sex Statutes from State Law
September 2, 2025
BOSTON—State Senator Jason Lewis joined his colleagues in the Massachusetts Senate to pass two bills that remove out-of-date and offensive terminology and statutes from state law.
The first bill strikes the “r-word,” a derogatory slur for people with disabilities, out of state law in the dozens of instances where it currently appears, and builds person-first language into law, prioritizing terminology like “person with a disability” over outdated terms such as “needy.”
The second bill repeals outdated statutes that criminalized acts now understood to be protected under the Constitution, including centuries-old laws that criminalized sodomy as a “crime against nature,” and so-called “unnatural” acts between consenting adults. The criminalization of sodomy, which was punishable by up to 20 years in prison, was used to discriminate against LGBTQ+ residents in the past, but any remaining sodomy laws in the United States were invalidated by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2003.
“It is important that we keep our laws up-to-date and accurate, as well as ensuring that we remove antiquated and offensive language,” said Senator Jason Lewis. “We should be using language that uplifts people and communities instead of harming them. I hope these bills pass quickly as we work to make sure the law correctly represents what we stand for in Massachusetts.”
The Senate’s archaic law bill creates a panel of experts—including bipartisan appointees from the Legislature, the executive branch, prosecutors, and public defenders—that would search for defects or anachronisms in state laws, aided by suggestions from the Judiciary and other officials. The commission would report proposed fixes to the Legislature at the close of every term.
The Senate also moved to repeal an 18th century law that called for punishment of up to one year in jail for a person who utters a blasphemy, something now acknowledged to be covered under the fundamental freedoms of speech and religion.
The Senate passed both bills on 40-0 roll call votes, and the legislation now moves to the House of Representatives for further consideration.