The REPEAL Act: How We Can End HIV Criminalization Together June 25, 2013 Jirair Ratevosian, U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) Bill McColl, AIDS United & Positive Justice Project Robert Suttle, Sero Project Moderator: Laura Thomas, Drug Policy Alliance & HIV PJA Follow the conversation on Twitter: @HIVPrevJustice
Save The Date! July 18 th Housing Webinar with Housing Works in collaboration with HIV PJA Details to come
Webinar Instructions All attendees are in listen-only mode Everyone can submit questions at any time using the chat feature This webinar has too many attendees for questions to be submitted over the phone. During Q & A segment the moderators will read selected questions that have been submitted If you are having audio or webinar trouble go to preventionjustice.org for troubleshooting help
Raise your Hand, Use the Question Feature to Ask Questions, or email questions You may also email your questions to smadoori@aidschicago.org
Today s Agenda Agenda & Opening Remarks Laura Thomas, Deputy State Director of the Drug Policy Alliance, Steering Committee Member for HIV PJA Overview on the Reintroduction of H.R. 1843: The REPEAL Act Jirair Ratevosian, Legislative Director for U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (D- CA) Q&A with Jirair Legislative Advocacy for the REPEAL Act William McColl, Director of Political Affairs for AIDS United, Co-Chair of the Positive Justice Project s Federal Advocacy Working Group Clarifying Questions for Bill Grassroots Advocacy & Mobilization for the REPEAL Act Robert Suttle, Assistant Director at the Sero Project Clarifying Questions for Robert Q&A
H.R. 1843: Repeal Existing Policies that Encourage and Allow Legal HIV Discrimination Act Introduced 5/7/2013 by Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) Presented by: Jirair Ratevosian, U.S. Representative Barbara Lee
H.R. 1843 The bill requires Attorney General, the Secretary of Health, and the Secretary of Defense to: Work with state to review laws, policies and cases that impose criminal liability on people living with HIV Develop a set of best practices Issue guidance to states Monitor whether/how states change policies
Status of H.R. 1843 Bipartisan, co-sponsored with Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) No cost legislation 27 co-sponsors (as of 6/24/2013) Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Armed Services
Small Victory! June 13-- Reps. Lee and Ros-Lehtinen offered an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act calling for a report on Uniform Code of Military Justice and recommendations for updating military laws and policies Amendment passed the House with Unanimous Consent
Legislative Advocacy for the REPEAL Act Next Steps & Legislative Targets Presented by: Bill McColl, AIDS United
Criminalization Next Steps Many groups are working to accomplish 3 main goals Sign on co-sponsors in the House Seeking Republicans first Seeking Bipartisan Introduction in the Senate Working to secure Senate champions Judiciary Committee Task Force on Overcriminalization
Judiciary Committee Overcriminalization Task Force is focused on federal issues Need to show that this is also a federal problem The HOPE Act Mens Rea (legal term for criminal intent) The Task Force could use real life examples of issues Task force exists in 6 month increments Likely to be extended First hearing was 6/14/13
Judiciary Committee - Overcriminalization Information on the task force: http://judiciary.house.gov/news/2013/05082013.html Committee Members Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.) Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-Va.). Reps. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) Raul Labrador (R-Idaho) George Holding (R-N.C.) Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) Karen Bass (D-Calif.) Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Ranking Member John Conyers (D-Mich.) are Ex officio members.
Judiciary Committee - Cont The committee will look at REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act separately Will help to ensure as many members as possible are invested in the REPEAL HIV Act All Committee Members can be found here: http://judiciary.house.gov/about/members.html
H.R. 1843 Target List Possible Republican Co-Sponsors Chris Gibson (R-NY) Walter Jones (R-NC) Justin Amash (R-MI) Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) Pat Meehan (R-PA) Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) <already cosponsor> Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
H.R. 1843 Target List Possible Republican Co-Sponsors Cont. Chris Smith (R-NJ) Michael Grimm (R-NY) Charlie Dent (R-PA) Don Young (R-AK) Dave Reichert (R-WA) Peter King (R-NY) Jon Runyan (R-NJ) John Duncan (R-TN)
UCMJ Amendment Next Steps Add to National Defense Authorization Bill in the Senate Prior to Conference During Conference Keep an eye out for Next Step Alerts
Other Federal Level Issues DOJ and CDC Report on Criminalization CHLP Toolkit - http://www.hivlawandpolicy.org/resources/ view/844 Look for similar toolkits with many other organizations USCA Look for several panels on criminalization from various partners
Special Thanks to PJP Federal Working Group AIDS United s work on criminalization is done in coordination with the Positive Justice Project of which AIDS United is a member If you are interested in joining a working group of the Positive Justice Project, please contact us at pjp@hivlawandpolicy.org
Grassroots Advocacy & Mobilization for the REPEAL ACT What You Can Do as an Advocate Presented by: Robert Suttle, Sero Project
What You Can Do Support HIV Criminalization reform Encourage your legislator to co-sponsor HR 1843 Endorse PACHA resolution, PJP Consensus Statement Educate your communities (forums, conferences, speakers) Encourage viewing of HIV is Not a Crime short film Convene stakeholders to develop strategy Work as hard to eliminate factors that drive stigma and are cultural barriers to testing as you do to promote testing and removal of institutional barriers to testing
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Become an Advocate Join in lively discussions on Sero listserv send request to be added at: info@seroproject.com LIKE Sero on Facebook Follow us on Twitter @TheSeroProject Join our email list, for updates and local alerts through our website at: www.seroproject.com
ROBERT: INSERT PIC OF IMAGE FROM FB PAGE HERE? 24
Questions? You may also email your questions to smadoori@aidschicago.org
Stay Informed, Visit & Connect: Sero Project: www.seroproject.com Join the Sero listserv, email: info@seroproject.com Follow Sero on Twitter @TheSeroProject Positive Justice Project: www.hivlawandpolicy.org/public/initiatives/positivejusticeproject Endorse REPEAL: http://wfc2.wiredforchange.com/o/8810/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_key=7010 Sign the PACHA Consensus Statement: http://wfc2.wiredforchange.com/o/8810/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_key=6917 REPEAL Outreach Toolkit: http://www.hivlawandpolicy.org/resources/view/844 HIV Prevention Justice Alliance: www.preventionjustice.org Stay up to date on advocacy opportunities with our email blasts! Follow HIV PJA on Twitter @HIVPrevJustice
Thank you!