---
type: "Bill"
title: "Implements person-first language and changes pejorative terminology referring to persons with certain disabilities or substance use disorders."
description: "Implements person-first language and changes pejorative terminology referring to persons with certain disabilities or substance use disorders."
jurisdiction: "us/states/nj"
legislature: "New Jersey Legislature"
session: "217"
identifier: "S 2721"
citation: "New Jersey S 2721 (217)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["DEVEL DISAB", "DISABLED", "DRUG ABUSE", "MENTAL HEALT"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Benson, Daniel R.", "Eustace, Tim", "McKnight, Angela V.", "Mosquera, Gabriela M.", "Tucker, Cleopatra G.", "Vainieri Huttle, Valerie", "Vitale, Joseph F.", "Whelan, Jim"]
version_count: 2
action_count: 11
vote_count: 1
first_action: "2016-11-03T04:00:00+00:00"
last_action: "2017-07-21T04:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/54680d85-4e63-49b1-b358-422f380f8442"
source_url: "http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/downloads.asp"
source_hash: "b39277aa9ac546e3addf13e1c4b8b27c6b387f9a70435cf5de19d44c71ad0c11"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-nj"]
---

# New Jersey S 2721 (217) — Implements person-first language and changes pejorative terminology referring to persons with certain disabilities or substance use disorders.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced Version** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2016/Bills/S3000/2721_I1.HTM)
2. **Reprint** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2016/Bills/S3000/2721_R1.HTM)

## Votes

- Reported favorably out of committee — **9–0** (pass) · legislature

## Sponsors

- Benson, Daniel R. — primary (person)
- Eustace, Tim — primary (person)
- McKnight, Angela V. — primary (person)
- Mosquera, Gabriela M. — primary (person)
- Tucker, Cleopatra G. — primary (person)
- Vainieri Huttle, Valerie — primary (person)
- Vitale, Joseph F. — primary (person)
- Whelan, Jim — primary (person)
- Gordon, Robert M. — cosponsor (person)
- McKeon, John F. — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2016-11-03T04:00:00+00:00** Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee `introduction, referral-committee`
- **2017-01-09T05:00:00+00:00** Reported out of Senate Committee, 2nd Reading `committee-passage`
- **2017-01-23T05:00:00+00:00** Passed Senate (36-0) `passage`
- **2017-01-23T05:00:00+00:00** Received in the Assembly without Reference, 2nd Reading
- **2017-06-08T04:00:00+00:00** Substituted for A926 (ACS)
- **2017-06-08T04:00:00+00:00** Assembly Floor Amendment Passed (Vaineri Huttle) `amendment-passage`
- **2017-06-08T04:00:00+00:00** Emergency Resolution (76-0-0) (Vaineri Huttle)
- **2017-06-08T04:00:00+00:00** Passed Assembly (76-0-0) `passage`
- **2017-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** Received in the Senate, 2nd Reading on Concurrence
- **2017-06-26T04:00:00+00:00** Passed Senate (Passed Both Houses) (40-0) `passage`
- **2017-07-21T04:00:00+00:00** Approved P.L.2017, c.131. `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/54680d85-4e63-49b1-b358-422f380f8442`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official New Jersey legislature records).