New York, February 1, 2012 – In the Life Media tonight will air the first documentary to examine the effect that HIV-specific criminal laws, used to imprison people living with HIV who fail to disclose their HIV status before sex, have on women living with the virus. The program, titled Perpetuating Stigma, will air on public television stations across the country throughout February.

New York, January 26, 2012 – The Center for HIV Law and Policy (CHLP) released today the first set of standards created to ensure that sexual health care is included in basic medical services for young people in detention and other types of state custody, and that it meets minimum requirements for competent care.

The HIV Health Care Access Working Group (HHCAWG) encourages organizations and individuals to submit comments to HHS on the Essential Health Benefits (EHB) bulletin by January 31, 2012.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that most employers will be required to cover contraception in their health plans with no co-pays or deductibles.

New York, January 13, 2012 — Today in the United States Supreme Court, The Center for HIV Law and Policy (CHLP), a national legal resource and strategy center, joined fifteen other national HIV advocacy organizations in a friend-of-the-court brief in support of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as the ACA.

"These laws are archaic. They're criminalizing a population of people who should not be criminalized," said Representative Barbara Lee, D-CA, in an Associated Press article yesterday. CHLP Executive Director Catherine Hanssens blames the longevity of the laws on "a seemingly invincible ignorance" about HIV transmission. 

This Thursday, December 8, the Stonewall Policy Alliance and NYU Wagner will be hosting an event called "Moving Forward, Getting to Zero: the AIDS Crisis after 30 Years" from 5:00-7:00 PM

Leading HIV organizations in the U.S. sent a letter to President Obama today about the speech he will deliver on World AIDS Day, December 1st.

The Positive Justice Project will host a panel on HIV criminalization entitled, "When Sex is a Crime and Spit a Dangerous Weapon: Defending Against HIV Criminal Laws" during the upcoming United States Conference on AIDS in Chicago.

On Thursday, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) sent a letter to President Obama calling for a renewed effort to reduce HIV transmission and expand access to care.

Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance, a non-profit organization whose mission is to affirm sexual  freedom as a fundamental human right, released The State of Sexual Freedom in the United States, 2011 Report a few days ago.

New York, September 23, 2011 – Members of the Positive Justice Project, a national coalition dedicated to ending the targeting of people with HIV for unreasonable criminal prosecution, voiced their support for the REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act that Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced today.

On Friday September 23rd, as part of the 41st Annual Legislative Conference, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) will hold a panel discussion on "HIV Criminalization- Why It Should Matter to You".

CHLP welcomes new volunteer attorneys, Jeffrey Sallot and Eva LaManna.

Two pieces of good news this week related to CHLP's hard work fighting HIV criminalization. PACHA's first annual letters to President Obama and to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on NHAS priorities now include vital language regarding HIV criminalization, and U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee released a draft of legislation planned for introduction later this year that would require a review of all federal and state laws, policies, and regulations regarding the criminal prosecution of individuals for HIV-related offenses. Read more in the Michigan Messenger.

New York, NY: The Center for HIV Law and Policy (CHLP) has released two new resources to support lawyers and advocates working on HIV legal policy.
 

On June 8, 2011, Lambda Legal, on behalf of a coalition including CHLP, submitted a letter in support of civil rights complaints filed by the National Immigrant Justice Center to the Department of Homeland Security.

The Center for HIV Law and Policy congratulates Advisory Board Member Hadiyah Charles for being named one of the White House Champions of Change this week.

On May 24, 2011, the Center for HIV Law and Policy and the Positive Justice Project joined the HIV Prevention Justice Alliance in a letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requesting clear statements from the CDC on HIV criminalization laws and policies.

David W. Webber, editor of AIDS and the Law, has produced two new documents to help practitioners and advocates understand and apply the amendments to the ADA and recently released regulations.