POLS INTRODUCE HIV TESTING BILL

the chairs of the state legislature's health committees, state sen. tom duane and assembly member richard gottfried, introduced legislation that aims to expand the number of new yorkers getting tested for hiv. the legislation, which duane has been crafting for two years, would require hiv testing to be offered in all public facilities to people between the ages of 16 and 64. "the goal is to expand testing to get people into treatment earlier and to reduce stigma around hiv, which i strongly believe is still a problem, not just outside of new york city, but even in new york city," duane said. the roadblocks in passing the bill were the written informed consent laws surrounding hiv tests. bills were introduced to require only oral consent. while duane and gottfried's bill preserves written informed consent, the process would be streamlined as part of a compromise, duane said. plus, a person who gives written consent would have to do so only once in that facility.