Sponsors (13)
This resolution raises awareness and centers equity around ending HIV criminalization, which can strengthen advocacy and reduce stigma, but it is symbolic and does not itself change laws or provide funding, so meaningful reform will require further legislative or budgetary action.
People-with-HIV and medicaid-beneficiaries — federal recognition bolsters advocacy to end HIV criminalization and could support efforts to expand prevention, testing, and treatment uptake.
General_public and people-with-HIV — an annual Feb 28 observance raises public awareness about the harms of HIV criminalization, helping reduce stigma through education.
Racial-ethnic-minorities, women, and lgbtq-individuals — the resolution highlights racial, gender, and trans disparities, directing policymakers and advocates toward equity-focused reforms and targeted outreach.
People-with-HIV and public-health-advocates — the resolution is symbolic and non-binding: it does not change laws or provide funding, so concrete legal reform and resources still require separate legislation or action.
Taxpayers and state-governments — highlighting the issue could prompt state-level policy debates or implementation efforts that carry taxpayer-funded costs for enforcement or program changes.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Designates February 28 as an annual awareness day to highlight and call for ending the criminalization of people living with HIV and to promote education, funding, and stigma reduction.
Introduced February 25, 2026 by Mark Pocan · Last progress February 25, 2026
Designates February 28 as an annual "HIV is Not a Crime Awareness Day" to raise awareness about and call for an end to laws and prosecutions that criminalize people living with HIV. The resolution cites data on the number of people living with HIV and recent diagnoses, notes that dozens of states have HIV-specific criminal statutes or enhanced penalties, highlights racial and gender disparities in enforcement, and urges noncriminal public health approaches, education, funding, and stigma reduction.