SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE (SF) - SATURDAY September 24, 1988 Edition: FINAL Section: NEWS Page: A8 Word Count: 864
Robert B. Gunnison, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau

The survey found that 58 percent of those questioned said they would vote for Proposition 102 on the November 8 ballot and 31 percent were opposed.

In July, the measure enjoyed the backing of 72 percent of those surveyed and 22 percent were against it.

"The numbers are soft," said Wayne Johnson, manager of the pro-Proposition 102 campaign, "but I'll take anything over 50 percent." The measure, sponsored by Paul Gann, would require health care providers to report the names of HIV-infected people to public health officers. People infected with the AIDS virus would then be asked to reveal the names of their sexual partners so that they could be notified by health officials of their possible exposure to the virus.

Proposition 102 also would remove restrictions on using HIV test results to determine eligibility for life insurance or employment.

Poll taker Mervin Field attributed the drop in support for Proposition 102 to studies showing that the notification program could cost the state millions of dollars.

The nonpartisan legislative analyst's office has said that the cost of investigating and reporting AIDS cases is "potentially in the tens of millions of dollars annually."

Dana Van Gorder, spokesman for Californians Against Proposition 102, said voters tended to support the measure because of the relatively simple way in which pollsters pose their questions.

The poll also reported that voters overwhelmingly approve of another AIDS-related initiative, Proposition 96. The measure would require people charged with certain sex and sexual-assault crimes to take the AIDS antibody test.

Field said 76 percent of those questioned said they would vote for the measure and 14 percent were opposed.

The poll also reported that all nine bond issues on the November ballot are supported by voters.

The telephone survey was conducted between September 6 and 13 among 773 registered voters. The reported margin of error is plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.

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CHART CUTLINE: CALIFORNIA POLL

-- PROP. 102: Reporting Exposure to AIDS Virus

Would require the reporting of people exposed to AIDS to health officers and notification of others.

Yes No No Opinion

Sept. 58% 31% 11%

July 72% 22% 6%

-- PROP. 96: Communicable Disease Tests

Would require court-ordered AIDS and communicable disease testing of people charged with sex and assault crimes.

Yes No No Opinion

Sept. 76% 14% 10%

July 79% 13% 8%

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