« A SURVIVOR SPEAKS | Main | NEW YORK COURT OF APPEALS UNANIMOUSLY STRIKES DOWN CRUEL WELFARE POLICY »
June 8, 2007
BAD BILL CAN BE STOPPED
 |
Forced HIV testing — we can stop it if you help |
A crack team of advocates from the AIDS, women's rights, anti-violence and civil rights arenas will gather in Albany on Tuesday to advocate against a dangerous proposal backed by Governor Eliot Spitzer to forcibly test rape suspects for HIV — and they've got a chance to stop it.
Last week we reported that Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was set to bring the bill to the floor for a vote.
That was bad news, because advocates think a majority of members of the Codes Committee might vote against it. Silver has been known to lean on Codes members to vote 'yes' on bills they oppose to get a floor vote, and has done so on controversial HIV bills in the past.
But the Speaker's staff told advocates this week last week's quote in the New York Times was "overstated," and that while Silver thought the bill would likely be heading to the floor, he wouldn't be twisting arms to make that happen.
It's good news for those of us who are trying to persuade Codes members to vote against the dangerous proposal — and that should include you:
Call 518-455-4100, ask for your Assembly Member, and tell them "Vote 'no' on the forced HIV testing bill A. 4861 — it won't help rape survivors and it will hurt New York's fight against AIDS."
More than thirty oppose the bill: you can download the latest opposition letter here and sign your group on here or e-mail darylc@gmhc.org.
If you'd like to join the group working against the bill in Albany on Tuesday or if can't come upstate but would like to get involved going forward, shoot an email to long2@housingworks.org.
Housing Works updated our memorandum of opposition to the bill this week &mdashclick here for a copy — and it's worth taking a look at the problems we and others have raised.