Duane Arrested at HIV Die-in

Eighteen people were arrested Tuesday, including New York state senator Thomas Duane, protesting Gov. David Paterson's veto of a bill that would have ensured that low-wage earners with HIV would spend no more than 30% of their salary on rent.

Protesters staged a die-in along Broadway near City Hall in Manhattan, blocking all traffic, shortly after 200 people rallied outside of the landmark.

Paterson blocked the bill at the urging of New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg. Both agreed that the mandate would be a financial burden on the city, while activists say the bill would affect about 10,000 New Yorkers.

According to the NYC AIDS Housing Network, the governor said he vetoed the bill with the intention of working with the state legislature on a similar but less expensive policy.

Senator Duane introduced the original bill, and according to WNYC, several elected officials and AIDS organizations have asked the governor to reverse his veto before leaving office.