Text of GA SR 578 (2024)

24 LC 112 2089 Senate Resolution 578 By: Senators Jackson of the 41st, Jones II of the 22nd and Halpern of the 39th A RESOLUTION Supporting the goals and ideals of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day; and for other 1 purposes. 2 WHEREAS, an estimated 60,000 Georgians are living with HIV/AIDS, necessitating efforts 3 at the state and local levels to ensure access to housing and health care; and 4 WHEREAS, Georgia ranks second in the nation for its rate of new HIV diagnoses despite 5 being only the ninth most populated state; and 6 WHEREAS, socioeconomic factors such as income inequality, poverty, and lack of access 7 to HIV prevention education and basic health services, along with cultural factors like 8 homophobia, transphobia, and racism, all pose significant challenges to combating the 9 HIV/AIDS epidemic; and 10 WHEREAS, each year, nearly 40,000 people in the United States become newly diagnosed 11 with HIV; and 12 WHEREAS, since the beginning of the HIV epidemic in the United States, racial and ethnic 13 minorities have been disproportionately affected by the disease; and 14 S. R. 578 - 1 - 24 LC 112 2089 WHEREAS, the Affordable Care Act's expansion of Medicaid and reforms to the individual 15 insurance market have helped lower the uninsured rates for non-elderly Black Americans by 16 more than one-third between 2013 and 2016, leading to better health outcomes for Black 17 Americans living with or at risk of HIV; and 18 WHEREAS, Black Americans are diagnosed with HIV later than their white counterparts, 19 face greater barriers in accessing care and treatment, and experience higher morbidity and 20 mortality outcomes; and 21 WHEREAS, Black Americans account for nearly half of all those who have died from HIV 22 in the United States since the beginning of the epidemic; and 23 WHEREAS, Black, gay, and bisexual men are more affected by HIV than any other group 24 in the United States, accounting for a higher proportion of HIV diagnoses, those living with 25 HIV, those ever diagnosed with AIDS, and HIV/AIDS-related deaths; and 26 WHEREAS, homophobia, stigma, and discrimination pose major obstacles to HIV testing, 27 treatment, and other prevention services for gay and bisexual African American men; and 28 WHEREAS, life-saving treatment is also a proven prevention tool, and research shows that 29 antiretroviral drugs can reduce the amount of virus to undetectable levels (also known as 30 viral suppression), effectively resulting in no risk of transmission of HIV; and 31 WHEREAS, in 2012, the Food and Drug Administration approved pre-exposure prophylaxis 32 (PrEP) as prevention for people who are HIV negative; and 33 S. R. 578 - 2 - 24 LC 112 2089 WHEREAS, many Black Americans in Georgia live more than 100 miles from a PrEP 34 provider; and 35 WHEREAS, PrEP can reduce the risk of HIV infection for HIV-negative individuals by up 36 to 99 percent; and 37 WHEREAS, among Black women, the leading transmission category of HIV infection is 38 heterosexual contact followed by intravenous drug use; and 39 WHEREAS, research indicates that the high incarceration rates of Black men may contribute 40 to the disproportionate rates of HIV infections among Black women; and 41 WHEREAS, transgender women in the United States are at high risk for HIV; and 42 WHEREAS, socioeconomic issues impact the rates of HIV infection among African 43 Americans in the South and throughout the United States; and 44 WHEREAS, in July 2015, the National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States: Updated 45 to 2020 was released and included actions and goals to reduce HIV-related disparities and 46 inequalities; and 47 WHEREAS, National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day was founded by five national 48 organizations in 1999 to provide capacity-building assistance to Black communities and 49 organizations; and 50 S. R. 578 - 3 - 24 LC 112 2089 WHEREAS, each year on February 7, individuals, organizations, and policymakers across 51 the nation participate in National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day to promote HIV 52 education, testing, community involvement, and treatment in Black communities. 53 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body 54 support the goals and ideals of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. 55 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of this body encourage local governments 56 within our jurisdiction, including their public health agencies and media organizations, to 57 recognize and support this day to publicize its importance among their communities and to 58 encourage individuals, especially Black Americans, to get tested for HIV. 59 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of this body commend the work of AIDS 60 service organizations, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, health care 61 providers, community health centers, and health departments that are providing effective 62 evidence-based prevention, treatment, care, and support services to people living with and 63 vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. 64 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of this body support appropriate funding 65 for HIV/AIDS prevention, care, treatment, research, and housing, including 66 community-based approaches to fight stigma, discrimination, racism, sexism, homophobia, 67 and transphobia. 68 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of this body encourage comprehensive 69 prevention, treatment, and care strategies that empower public health workers, educators, 70 faith leaders, and other stakeholders to engage their communities to help decrease violence, 71 S. R. 578 - 4 - 24 LC 112 2089 discrimination, and stigma toward individuals who disclose their sexual orientation, gender 72 identity, or HIV status. 73 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed 74 to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the public and the 75 press. 76 S. R. 578 - 5 -