Repeal: Rights of the disabled act [Complete] [Complete]

Description: WA General Assembly Resolution #227: Rights of the Disabled Act (Category: Human Rights; Strength: Significant) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: Noting that GAR #227, the "Rights of the Disabled Act," is well-intentioned and seeks to protect the mentally disabled; but

Concerned that numerous problems in the text of "Rights of the Disabled Act" make it ineffective and sometimes even harmful;

Troubled that "Rights of the Disabled Act" classifies people as "mentally disabled" based on an arbitrary "two-out-of-four" system, rather than solid medical science and/or the professional opinion of a doctor;

Worried that such a system may be both over-broad by including individuals who are not truly mentally disabled and under-broad by failing to count others who are;

Also Troubled by the mandate in "Rights of the Disabled Act" requiring that the rights of mentally disabled people be exercised by a responsible adult in "necessary cases," without needed clarification about what constitutes a "necessary case" and without any regard to whether the mentally disabled person is able to make sound decisions despite their disability;

Worried that the ambiguity in such a system may result in mentally disabled people being wrongfully denied the ability to exercise their own rights;

Deeply Troubled by the flawed definition of a "responsible adult," which allows an uninterested, non-family member to exercise the rights of a disabled person "in lieu of a suitable candidate;"

Convinced that the many flaws in "Rights of the Disabled Act" render it problematic, unworkable, and sometimes harmful to the very people it is supposed to protect;

For all the forgoing reasons, THE WORLD ASSEMBLY HEREBY REPEALS: General Assembly Resolution #227: "Rights of the Disabled Act"

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