New Jersey Decriminalizes Transmission of HIV/AIDS
. The state’s legislature this week moved to pass S-3707, a bill that would repeal current statutes that criminalize acts of sexual penetration if someone knows they’re infected with a venereal disease, HIV, or AIDs.The bill still maintains provisions of the statute in question that criminalize endangering another person through transmission of non-airborne infectious or communicable diseases;ut it no longer specifically targets people living with HIV/AIDs and sexually transmitted infections.
New Jersey state Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz, one of the co-authors of the bill, told Insider NJ the passage of S-3707 “is a step in the right direction of… removing the stigmatization that surrounds individuals living with HIV.” “Over the years, there has been criminalization targeting HIV-positive individuals, rather than those who are intentionally harming others,” Ruiz said. “The criminal code is meant to punish actions that harm others, not discriminate against people living with a chronic health condition.”n the books that essentially criminalize