MAP Advocate
March 22, 2007
Vol. 13. No. 10

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In This Issue:

1. MAP Legislation Updates: Comprehensive Sex Education, AIDSLine Legislation, HIV Prevention in African-Born Communities
2. AIDS Action Day Wrap Up
3. Minnesota Update: Hospital Visitation Legislation for Same-Sex Partners Heard at the Capitol
4. Federal Update: REAL Act Introduced Today
5. Announcement: Upcoming Lobby Days at the Capitol
6. What Do You Know?!?

Legislation Updates: Comprehensive Sex Education, AIDSLine Legislation, HIV Prevention in African-Born Communities

AIDSLine Legislation
The AIDSLine legislation has been heard in the House and the Senate Health Finance Committees. This legislation will now be considered for inclusion in the House and Senate’s Health Omnibus bill (huge bill).
TAKE ACTION:
Call Senator Berglin Right Now and Ask Her to Include the AIDSLine Funding in the Health Omnibus Bill.

                                                         Senator Linda Berglin
                                                         651.296.4261

Comprehensive Sex Education Legislation
The Comprehensive Sex Education Legislation has had two hearings since the last MAP Advocate update. On Tuesday, March 20 the House Education Finance committee heard the bill and will now consider it for inclusion in the Omnibus bill. Last week the House Education Policy committee heard the bill. In that hearing members of the committee proposed several compromise amendments, and HF 615 has been amended as follows:

• "Comprehensive" has been changed to read "Responsible" throughout the bill.
• The following language was added "A school district must consult with parents..." when creating policies and procedures.
• The bill is now "opt-in" instead of "opt-out". While the Coalition supports "opt-out" as the best process for implementing these standards, we continue to want the bill to makes its way through the committee process. There may be opportunities to return the language to opt-out again.

HIV Prevention Targeting African-Born Communities in Minnesota
On Tuesday, March 13, the House Public Health Finance Committee heard this legislation. The bill will now be considered for inclusion in the final House Health Omnibus bill. This legislation did not receive a hearing in the Senate, so we will be exploring other strategies on this legislation.

Use the MAP Bill Tracker to Read More About All of These Bills.

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AIDS Action Day Wrap Up

On Tuesday, March 6, advocates met with their legislators to support honest HIV prevention and to support policies to help stop HIV. Over 100 people attended the AIDS Action Day Program in the Capitol Rotunda to hear speakers from the community, raise awareness and visibility about HIV policy. Check out our AIDS Action Day 2007 wrap up Web page for more information, including pictures.

AIDS Action Day Web Page

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Minnesota Update: Hospital Visitation Legislation for Domestic Partners Heard at the Capitol

OutFront Minnesota is advancing legislation regarding hospital visitation rights for domestic partners (HF 1589 and SF 1398). Currently, there is no provision allowing domestic partners to visit each other unencumbered when one of them is hospitalized. This prevents domestic partners and families from being at the side of their loved ones when they are needed most. This legislation would create basic fairness and treat domestic partners and their families with dignity and humanity.  This is a critically important piece of legislation for HIV positive and bisexual men.

Click here to read more about this legislation and OutFront’s other legislative priorities.

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Federal Update: REAL Act Introduced Today

Today, Thursday, March 22, 2007, Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) will introduce the Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act.

Please contact your United State Senators and Representative this week to tell them to support REAL sexuality education and to become a cosponsor of the REAL Act. This is an issue of providing the information that young people need in order to make healthy decisions. The REAL Act would provide a dedicated federal funding stream for comprehensive sexuality education. No such funding stream currently exists.

Please email your Senators and Representative and tell them to support a REAL approach to reducing unintended pregnancies and the transmission of STDs, including HIV, by becoming an original cosponsor of the REAL Act.

Click here to Take Action and email your Senators and Representative.

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Announcement: Upcoming Lobby Days at the Capitol

March 28, 2007
Sex Ed For Life (SEFL) Youth Lobby Day at the Capitol
1 - 4 p.m.
Capitol Room 318
State Capitol

Youth and their parents will learn about the legislative process and issues surrounding comprehensive sexuality education and minors' consent. Please join us for this opportunity to learn about SEFL issues, hear from advocates and legislators, and if schedules permit to meet with the legislators from your district. To register please see the registration form (PDF). For more information contact Laura at MOAPPP at publicpolicyintern@moappp.org

Stand OUT, Live OUT, Speak OUT for GLBT Equality
at OutFront Minnesota's justFair Lobby Day
Join OutFront on Thursday, April 19 at the Minnesota State Capitol
Click here for more information.

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What Do You Know?!?

International Donors Must Connect Fight Against HIV/AIDS to Ending Violence Against Women, Report Says
[Mar 07, 2007]
Click Here to Read More.

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Visit the MAP Advocate archive to see what you missed.

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For more information about what's of interest to you at the Minnesota State Capitol, visit the Web sites of our allies at OutFront Minnesota and Sex Ed for Life.

MAP Advocate is published by the Minnesota AIDS Project every two weeks while the Minnesota Legislature is in session, and monthly during the rest of the year. It isavailable through the MAP web site mnaidsproject.org and through email list service. If you wish to order the MAP Advocate, visit our Join the Action Network page, or contact MAP Public Policy by phone or email.

MAP Public Policy
Minnesota AIDS Project
1400 Park Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404

612-341-2060
800-373-2437

public.policy@mnaidsproject.org

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