Rep. Lee Introduces Groundbreaking Anti-HIV Criminalization Bill

Excerpt: Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) has introduced an unprecedented piece of legislation that could put an end to laws that impose cruel and unfair penalties on HIV-positive people in the U.S.

The bill, called the REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act, calls for a review of all federal and state laws, policies and regulations regarding the criminal prosecution of individuals for HIV-related offenses. It then creates incentives for governments to reform existing policies that use the law to target HIV-positive people.

Introduced Thursday, the legislation “relies on science and public health, rather than punishment, as the lead response to HIV exposure and transmission incidents,” said Catherine Hanssens, executive director of the New York-based Center for HIV Law and Policy.

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