California: Lawmakers Move Forward on 14 LGBT Bills

Legislators in the state Senate and Assembly are taking action on a number of bills addressing HIV/AIDS and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.

Among the HIV/AIDS-related measures are the following:

AB 53, brought forward by Assembly member Mervyn M. Dymally (D-Compton), would change the name of the state Office of AIDS to the Office of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Education. It would direct the department to set up six regional HIV/AIDS centers and to use them as the basis for culturally and linguistically appropriate efforts to encourage early HIV testing and link those diagnosed to care and treatment. In addition, the legislation would require the department to cooperate with community-based organizations on HIV/AIDS prevention and to use all available partnerships and private services to target populations that lack exposure to HIV/AIDS information.

SB 443, the Safe Pregnancy Act, is also known informally as the sperm-washing bill. Sponsored by Sen. Carole Migden (D-San Francisco), the legislation would allow the impregnation of women using an HIV-positive donor's sperm that had been cleansed of HIV using a special process. "It will benefit us all because it's a move of HIV from a fatal to a chronic disease. It's good policy and a good beginning [to] resolve a longstanding crippling problem with HIV infection and the one where we all favor the opportunity of people to live their lives fully without risk of infection. That's good news for all of us in the LGBT community, particularly. This opens up opportunities for a fuller and more successful life."

The deadline by which bills must advance beyond their house of origin is June 8.

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