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Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, D. (PoliticMo Photo)

– Governor Jay Nixon signed legislation Tuesday making several changes in Missouri law to advance disability rights.

Some of the most important provisions, say disability rights advocates, include one that will replace the phrase “mental retardation” with “intellectual disability” in state statutes, and another that will rename the state’s Division of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities to the Division of Disabilities.

“Public attitudes are still a major problem facing people with disabilities,” said Robert Funk, CEO of Paraquad Independent Living Center, one of the largest non-residential independent living centers in the nation. “These new laws are an important step in making a positive change in attitudes by, among other things, increasing the rights of parents with disabilities and increasing awareness of civil rights for people with disabilities.”

Additionally, the new law adds a mental health professional to the MO HealthNet Oversight Committee; makes it illegal to discriminate against people with disabilities when it comes to parental rights; and requires that one in every four accessible parking spaces created or repainted after Aug. 28, 2011 to be ‘lift van accessible.’

“More than 100,000 Missourians have an intellectual or developmental disability, and many more have a family member with a disability,” Gov. Nixon said. “This legislation helps to ensure that, as a state, our words, actions and laws do not promote discrimination. Words that are hurtful or hateful have no place on our books or in our hearts. This legislation is about dignity, practicality and the need to ensure access and equality for Missourians with disabilities.”

This year, Missouri and its schools will recognize October as Disability History and Awareness Month, allowing schools to provide disability instruction to students at that time.

“Teaching children in K-12 about disability not only begins to teach them acceptance of people with disabilities, but also helps them see beyond the disability to their capacities and opportunities to contribute,” said Colleen Starkloff, director of education and training at the Starkloff Disability Institute in St. Louis.  “It’s like race and ethnicity. When you can expose young children to promote acceptance of people who are not exactly the same as they are, they’re moving toward acceptance of all people within our culture.”