DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The Iowa Senate unanimously approved a measure lessening the penalties for people who unknowingly expose someone to HIV with no intention of infecting them.
The Des Moines Register reports (https://dmreg.co/OHM1xG ) the Senate approved the bill 48-0 Thursday, sending it to the House.
Democratic Sen. Robert Hogg, of Cedar Rapids, says the bill attempts to change a law approved years ago before people knew of appropriate precautions that could be taken to avoid infections.
The law now says if someone exposes a partner to HIV without their consent, they can be convicted of a felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison.
The bill creates more general rules about infectious diseases, making people eligible for 25 year sentences only if they intend to transmit a disease without someone’s knowledge.
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Information from: The Des Moines Register, https://www.desmoinesregister.com
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