Senate Approves Names-Based HIV Reporting
The Senate on Thursday unanimously approved a bill (SB 699) that would create a names-based reporting system for new HIV cases in the state, The Advocate reports (The Advocate, 4/8). Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) is expected to sign the bill into law as early as this week.
The Assembly unanimously passed the bill last month (Gay.com, 4/7).
Beginning this fall, the federal government will provide funding only to states with HIV reporting systems that it considers reliable. Under the new federal policy, California could lose $50 million in federal funding unless it changes its current system, which is based on alphanumeric codes. The alphanumeric system has been criticized as costly and inaccurate (California Healthline, 3/31).