Waxman, lawmakers, advocates gather to discuss historic HIV decriminalization measure at Philadelphia FIGHT
Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus July 16, 2026 | 1:22 PM
State Rep. Ben Waxman, D-Phila., held a news conference at Philadelphia FIGHT to discuss the passage of S.B. 45 in the General Assembly, which is now awaiting action by the governor.
Waxman was joined by his House colleagues Reps. Andre D. Carroll and Malcom Kenyatta, both D-Phila.; Councilmember At Large Rue Landau; Ronda Goldfein of the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania; Dr. Jay Kostman of Philadelphia FIGHT; and Waheedah Shabazz-El, co-chair of the Pennsylvania HIV Justice Alliance, Philadelphia FIGHT goodwill ambassador and AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania board member.
Senate Bill 45 contains a provision removing HIV-specific language from Pennsylvania’s Criminal Code. The provision mirrors Waxman’s H.B. 632 and represents a major victory for people living with HIV and advocates who have worked for years to eliminate outdated and stigmatizing criminal laws.
“This is the result of years of relentless advocacy by people living with HIV, public health experts and community organizations who refused to accept laws rooted in fear mongering and discrimination rather than science,” said Waxman. “Now, Pennsylvania is choosing compassion, evidence and justice over stigma. Senate Bill 45 represents a meaningful step toward ensuring everyone is treated with dignity and respect under the law."
“With the passage of Senate Bill 45, our Commonwealth finally recognizes what public health experts, medical professionals and advocates have been saying for years: HIV is not a crime,” Landau said. “By removing these outdated messages from our laws, Pennsylvania is sending a message to residents that no one should face punishment simply because of a medical diagnosis.”
Advocates and public health experts have argued that HIV-specific criminal provisions reinforce stigma, rely on outdated understandings of HIV transmission and discourage people from seeking testing and treatment.
The reform received overwhelmingly bipartisan support in the General Assembly.
“This week Pennsylvania did something we need more of: acted across the aisle to solve an actual problem,” Kenyatta said. “The stigma that follows our neighbors living with HIV has hampered testing and puts us further away from eradicating this disease in our lifetime. With the passage of SB45 the commonwealth removes a harmful statue that criminalized HIV diagnosis, but HIV is not a crime. This is a win for medical science, breaking the stigma and brings us one step closer to a criminal justice system that is based on true justice for all.”
"This bill marks an important step toward ensuring that Pennsylvania's laws reflect current medical science rather than outdated misconceptions about HIV,” Carroll said. “Removing HIV-specific criminal provisions helps reduce stigma, and affirms the dignity of people living with HIV. We're grateful to the group of lawmakers, advocates, medical professionals and community members whose years of work made this progress possible, and we look forward to Governor Shapiro signing this legislation into law."
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ATTENTION EDITORS: Full video of the press conference can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd_DaLvr-9U
CONTACT: Molly Peters
House Democratic Communications Office
Phone: 717-787-7895
Email: mpeters@pahouse.net