AEGiS-BAR: CA Senate OKs needle exchange bill

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1999. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

CA Senate OKs needle exchange bill

The Bay Area Reporter - August 27, 1999
Terry Beswick

On Tuesday, August 24, the California Senate sent AB 518 to the desk of Governor Gray Davis, where it faces a possible veto. The bill, which passed on a largely party line vote of 21-18, would provide local governments the legal authority to establish needle exchange programs. At present, programs operate quasi-illegally under local health emergency declarations.

Sponsored by Assemblywoman Kerry Mazzoni (D-San Rafael), the legislation was approved by the Assembly earlier this year. It must be signed or vetoed by the governor by Labor Day. Similar legislation had been vetoed twice by former Governor Pete Wilson.

Davis has not taken a public position on the bill, although Phil Trounstein, his communications director, told the Bay Area Reporter on Monday that "he has not been in favor of this kind of thing in the past."

"I do know that he's against needle exchange programs," Mazzoni told the B.A.R., indicating that she will immediately be seeking a meeting with Davis to discuss scientific studies showing that needle exchanges reduce HIV infections, and help get people into drug treatment. "I think that many times, people in public office vote based on what they believe is the will of the people, or what may be politically expedient," Mazzoni said.
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