California senate
approves names-based HIV reporting

California lawmakers took their first step toward approving names-based HIV reporting in the state last week when the state senate voted 33-0 in favor of a bill scrapping codes-based reporting for a names-based system, the Los Angeles Times reports. The state assembly is expected to begin addressing the bill this week. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has said he will sign the measure if it reaches his desk. Lawmakers are moving to names-based HIV reporting to avoid losing up to $50 million in federal AIDS funds. The government later this year is expected to begin tying AIDS grants to HIV case data but will not accept information from codes-based systems, which it considers inaccurate. (Advocate.com)