Bill Pending in Alabama House Would Require HIV Tests for Rape Suspects
A bill (HB 515) currently pending in the Alabama House of Representatives would mandate that rape suspects be tested for HIV after being arrested, the AP/Northwest Alabama TimesDaily reports. Alabama law currently requires that only people who are convicted of rape undergo HIV testing. However, a rape suspect may not be convicted for years after the rape occurred, and the bill is needed to allow rape survivors who were exposed to HIV to seek treatment sooner, Alabama Coalition Against Rape Executive Director Darla Graves said, according to the AP/TimesDaily. The bill is sponsored by state Rep. David Grimes (R). Thirty-five other states require rape suspects to be tested for HIV, Grimes said (AP/Northwest Alabama TimesDaily, 3/4).
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