"The REPEAL Act will advance efforts to finally modernize laws
surrounding those living with HIV/AIDS and, if enacted, will afford
those Americans the right to privacy," said Paul Kawata, Executive
Director for NMAC. "We know that disclosure laws are rooted
in an old model aimed towards punishing HIV-positive Americans. Those
same laws create tremendous barriers for Americans living with HIV,
including those serving in our Armed Forces. More importantly, these
laws deter self-reliance health practices, which
we know is the most effective way of stopping the spread of HIV,"
Kawata said.
"This legislation is critically important and long overdue,” added
Joe Huang-Racalto, Director of Government Relations and Public Policy.
“No other medical diagnosis has a criminal element associated with it.
Singling out HIV and prosecuting Americans
living with HIV is morally wrong and terribly misguided. As we move
towards ending the epidemic by 2030, we must continue to eliminate
punitive laws and the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS – an important
step in that process is to pass the REPEAL Act."
