ALBANY, NY (Erie News Now)--AS PRIDE MONTH CAME TO A CLOSE, GOV. KATHY HOCHUL SIGNED A LEGISLATION PACKAGE INTENDING TO SUPPORT HIV AND AIDS TREATMENT AND PREVENTION RESOURCES IMPACTING LGBTQIA COMMUNITIES.  

THE BILLS WILL IMPROVE HIV TESTING REQUIREMENTS, PROHIBit INSURERS FROM DELAYING ACCESS TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS TO TREAT AND PREVENT HIV AND AIDS, AND ELIMINATe COPAYS FOR HIV PREVENTION DRUGS CALLED PEP AND PREP.  
 
“With more people on meds, we can stop the spread of HIV,” said Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D-47th Senate District).
 
HOYLMAN-SIGAL SAid THE BILL TO modernize HIV TESTING IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT.  
 
HE SAid NEW YORK IS BEHIND WHEN IT COMES TO HIV TESTING guidelines COMPARED TO OTHER STATES-- WHICH RESULTED IN MORE NEW YORKERS BEING DIAGNOSED WITH HIV AND AIDS.  
 
“New York state was an outlier, in fact one of only two states along with Nebraska that didn’t subscribe to CDC guidelines on how HIV should be tested,” said Hoylman-Sigal. 
 
SOME ADVOCATES SAid THESE NEW LAWS WILL HELP NEW YORKERS TRYING TO GET TREATMENT AND PREVENTION CARE, BUT MORE THAN THAT THE HOPE IS the BILLS WILL HELP RAISE AWARENESS AND EDUCATION WHILE ALSO LETTING PEOPLE KNOW WHAT STATE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE.  
 
“PrEP and PEP are some of the most revolutionary things to have come out of science when it comes to the HIV, AIDs epidemic which while it is not a LGBTQ specific issue it had such a profound impact on our community. Making sure that those drugs are not only accessible but known about,” said Nathaniel Gray, executive director of the Pride Center of the Capital Region. 
 
GRAY stressed THE ROLL OUT OF THESE LAWS WILL BE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR HOW WELL THEY WORK.  
 
ENFORCEMENT WILL BE MANAGED BY THE STATE’S DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.