DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The Iowa Legislature has sent to the governor a measure lessening the penalties for people who unknowingly expose someone to HIV with no intention of infecting them.
The House in the early morning hours Thursday passed a version of the bill the Senate had approved in February. The Legislature worked overtime to adjourn for the year passing the bill at around 2 a.m.
The bill changes a current law that says if someone exposes a partner to HIV without their consent, they can be convicted of a felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison.
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It creates more general rules about infectious diseases, making people eligible for 25 year sentences only if they intend to transmit a disease without someone’s knowledge.
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