California To Have Harsher Penalty For Pronoun Violations Than For Knowingly Spreading HIV

California To Have Harsher Penalty For Pronoun Violations Than For Knowingly Spreading HIV

Beginning in 2018, California law will have harsher penalties for health care workers who address a senior transgender patient with the “wrong” pronouns than for people who knowingly infect others with HIV.

California Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation on Friday lowering the maximum penalty for knowingly infecting or exposing a person to HIV to six months in prison — down from a maximum of eight years. Also last week, Brown signed legislation allowing for penalties of up to one year in jail for health care workers who “willfully and repeatedly” use the “wrong” pronouns to refer to a senior transgender patient. (RELATED: Legal Experts: Transgender Pronoun Mandates Are Unconstitutional)

Democratic state Sen. Scott Weiner sponsored both pieces of legislation.

“The most effective way to reduce HIV infections is to destigmatize HIV,” Weiner told CNN. “To make people comfortable talking about their infection, get tested, get into treatment.”