The authors of two bills benefiting Californians living with HIV are praising Governor Gavin Newsom for signing their legislation into law. He did so without comment on July 23.
Senate Bill 283, authored by Senator Lena A. Gonzalez (D-Long Beach), strengthens the Equal Insurance HIV Act of 2020. It imposes a prohibition as of January 1, 2023 on a life or disability insurance insurer from considering an applicant s occupation in determining whether to require an HIV test. It also clarifies that limiting benefits payable for a loss caused or contributed to by HIV is allowed if it was part of the original underwriting risk.
And the law also makes clear that the misdemeanor for willful, negligent, or malicious disclosure of HIV test results to a third party is now punishable by imprisonment for a period not to exceed 364 days.