Florida’s HIV laws are outdated, undermine public safety, and waste taxpayer money. Modernizing them would bring them in line with today’s science and better protect public health.
A Public Health Issue: Florida Needs to Act on HIV
HIV Modernization is the effort to update Florida’s decades-old HIV laws so they reflect today’s science instead of 1980s fear and misinformation.
Florida has some of the highest rates of new HIV transmissions. While treatment and prevention have advanced dramatically, our laws discourage people from getting tested and knowing their status.
Since 2022, states like Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Dakota have all updated their HIV laws to promote public health and better align with modern science.
A Fairness Issue: Laws Should Reflect the Risk
Modern medicine has transformed HIV from a death sentence to a manageable condition. People on effective treatment cannot transmit the virus—a scientific fact established beyond doubt. Yet Florida’s laws still treat HIV like it’s 1985, criminalizing behavior that poses zero risk to public health
Modernizing our HIV laws would still hold people accountable for intentional harm, but it would ensure our laws match medical reality and support proven practices like organ donation between people living with HIV. Aligning policy with science helps protect communities, improve health outcomes, and promote fairness.
About Us
Floridians for Responsible and Effective Solutions in Health (FRESH) is a coalition of public health professionals working to educate Floridians on the HIV issues and modernize Florida’s outdated HIV laws.
We advocate for policies grounded in today’s medical science, including laws that encourage testing, support treatment, reduce stigma, and accurately reflect how HIV is and isn’t transmitted. Our goal is simple: a healthier Florida where evidence guides policy, not decades-old fear.
