AEGiS-BAR: CA Legislature increases AIDS spending by $21 million Bay Area ReporterImportant note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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CA Legislature increases AIDS spending by $21 million

The Bay Area Reporter - June 16, 2000
Terry Beswick

When Governor Gray Davis released his proposed budget last month for fiscal 2000-2001, AIDS advocates from throughout California were frustrated at the dearth of new spending to combat the disease û particularly in light of the state's anticipated $12.3 billion surplus.

While Davis proposed spending $2.4 million more for resistance testing to assist in the clinical management of HIV, even these funds were shifted from other HIV-related programs.

The Legislature, however, did not buy into the governor's flat-funding of AIDS programs. Proposed budgets passed by both houses included significant increases in AIDS spending, and last weekend a joint committee of the Assembly and Senate hashed out the details of the budget they plan to send to governor's desk.

On top of a base budget of $320 million, including both state and federal funds, the Legislature's budget provides almost $21 million in new spending.

"There are new infections and deaths from HIV every day," said Assemblywoman Carole Migden (D-San Francisco), a member of the Assembly and Senate Budget Conference Committee. "Until there is a cure, we need to expand our efforts to raise awareness, prevent new infections, and improve the quality of life of those living with HIV."

The Legislature is expected to approve the budget bill today, (Thursday June 15), and send it to Davis's desk.

Last week, the California HIV Advocacy Coalition, a statewide association of HIV/AIDS service organizations and advocates including the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, the AIDS Legal Referral Panel, and Project Inform, issued an urgent appeal for constituent letters to the governor urging him to approve the Legislature's AIDS budget numbers.

In addition to the $2.4 million for resistance testing supported by the governor, the Legislature's proposed budget includes:

* $2.8 million to create a non-name based reporting system to help communities more effectively plan for future HIV services as well as maximize the state's ability to obtain federal HIV funding;

* $8 million for HIV/AIDS prevention, education, and treatment programs targeting communities of color;

* $1 million in increased funding for partner counseling and referral services;

* $2.2 million for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program;

* $1 million for the HIV organ transplant project at the UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies;

* $1.25 million for the UCSF AIDS Research Institute;

* $500,000 for the National AIDS Memorial Grove in San Francisco;

* $400,000 for the AIDS Memorial Wall in Los Angeles;

* $250,000 for the HIV/AIDS re-entry and empowerment project at New College of San Francisco.

Governor Davis can be reached by mail at: State Capitol, Sacramento, California 95814; by e-mail at graydavis@governor.ca.gov; by fax at (916) 445-4633; and by phone at (916) 445-2841.
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