TO THE HONORABLE JAY INSLEE, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, THE SECRETARY OF THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, AND THE MEMBERS OF THE STATE HIV PLANNING STEERING GROUP:

We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

WHEREAS, Washington state took bold action on the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, dedicating resources to educate the public about HIV, preventing the spread of the disease, and care for the individuals who were infected; and

WHEREAS, These resources have been invested wisely, focusing on those areas of the state with the most disease and on interventions that are on the front edge of prevention science and most likely to interrupt the spread of disease, resulting in decreases in new HIV infections, new AIDS cases, and deaths in people with HIV; and

WHEREAS, People living with HIV/AIDS have historically faced, and many continue to face, deep and pervasive stigma and discrimination due to their health status not only in accessing affordable physical and behavioral health care, but in social supports and in discriminatory treatment in our criminal justice system; and

WHEREAS, Washington state is again in a position to take bold action and be a national leader in ending AIDS; and medical providers public health experts, and community and legal advocates are poised to work with other partners across sectors and agencies to drive infection rates to the lowest in the country; and

WHEREAS, Governor Jay Inslee issued a proclamation on December 1, 2014, to end AIDS in Washington state with the goal of reducing the rate of new HIV diagnoses by fifty percent by 2020 and reducing disparities in health outcomes reaffirming the state's unwavering commitment to individuals living and at risk of HIV/AIDS;

NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the Governor recognize and accept the support of the legislature as to the effort to end AIDS in Washington state by empowering the state HIV planning steering group to lead a robust task force to put forward recommendations to achieve the goal of reducing new HIV diagnoses, reducing health disparities, removing obstacles to accessing social supports, and removing legal discrimination based on health status from state laws.

BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Jay Inslee, governor of the state of Washington, the secretary of the Washington state department of health, and each member of the state HIV planning steering group.

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