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The Texas House has officially granted approval to two House bills that propose integrating HIV testing into regular screenings for sexually transmitted infections and medical check-ups.
House Bill 3377 and House Bill 2235 are authored by freshman state Rep. Venton Jones, a Dallas Democrat who is the first Black, gay and openly HIV-positive lawmaker to serve at the Capitol. The House voted 103-40 to pass the first bill Friday, and 91-47 to approve the second legislation Tuesday. Both bills now advance to the Senate.
Jones stated on Monday that, in our endeavor to combat the HIV epidemic, the utmost crucial asset at present is individuals possessing precise awareness of their current HIV status.
Both bills also garnered widespread bipartisan support long before they came to the chamber floor. The only visible pushback came from state Rep. Jared Patterson, R-Frisco, who tried to raise a point of order — a parliamentary procedure aimed to kill legislation — against HB 2235 during its Tuesday debate. His effort failed.
Since the early 1980s, the HIV epidemic has affected a broad swath of society. But it has particularly devastated the LGBTQ community, especially those who are Black and Latino. Heterosexual and cisgender people from these groups are also disproportionately affected. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last year that Black and Latino Americans in general saw the highest numbers of HIV diagnoses between January 2021 and June 2022.
HIV attacks the immune system, and initially, the patient may experience mild flu-like symptoms or even no symptoms at all. This makes it difficult for them to realize the need for early testing and increases the chances of unintentionally transmitting the virus. If HIV is left untreated over a long period, it can progress to AIDS, leaving the patient’s immune system severely compromised and susceptible to opportunistic infections.
With medications like PrEP available, the epidemic has become less dangerous. Still, testing remains a key step in preventing and treating HIV. The CDC recommends that people between the ages of 13 and 64 test at least once, and those with certain risk factors do so at minimum once a year.
However, it is surprising to many stakeholders, including Jones, that general STI evaluations often do not include HIV testing.
During the bill’s committee hearing on April 3, he highlighted the confusion arising from the common misconception that HIV tests are automatically included in STI panels. He emphasized the pressing need to put an end to this epidemic by increasing access to and awareness of HIV testing.
HB 3377 would add HIV testing to the standard panel of lab tests for STI, though healthcare providers would still have to get consent from patients who can opt out if they want. HB 2235, which Jones called a complimentary bill to the other legislation, would do the same for routine health checks. The proposals have received overwhelming support from medical groups.
“Adding an HIV test to a standard STI panel is a valuable commitment to public health,” expressed Januari Fox, Prism Health North Texas’ Director of Policy Advocacy and Community Engagement, during the committee hearing. “By doing so, we eliminate any preconceived notions about those affected by HIV and promptly facilitate treatment for newly diagnosed individuals.”
LGBTQ advocates similarly cheer the legislation.
According to Ricardo Martinez, CEO of Equality Texas, Rep. Jones’ personal experiences bring a crucial perspective that Texans urgently need. He emphasized the importance of representation.
Disclosure: Equality Texas and Prism Health North Texas have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
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