Protection for People with HIV

In letters sent to Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, and Rep. John Boehner, House Republican Leader, Lambda Legal urged the House of Representatives to pass H.R. 3195, a bill that would clarify the definition of what qualifies as a disability.

"This bill makes it clear that people with HIV are protected from being discriminated against because they have HIV, consistent with the purposes of the ADA," says Bebe Anderson, HIV Project Director at Lambda Legal.

According to Anderson, "the Supreme Court and lower courts have narrowed the definition of disability," and in doing so "have limited the protections that the ADA provides." So this bill is welcome news for people with HIV and others with disabilities.

On June 18, 2008, the bill was approved unanimously by the House Judiciary Committee and by a 43 to 1 vote by the House Committee on Education and Labor. A floor vote in the House is expected soon.