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The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
New reports from the Health Department rank Memphis as the second highest in the country for new cases of HIV.
There are currently over 7,500 people in Memphis who have HIV or AIDS, and some lawmakers are speaking out to ask the state to help stop the continual increase.
That number places the city as the second highest in the country, coming in just behind Miami.
The Shelby County Health Department reports that new cases of HIV reported in the 15-24 age range are five times higher in Memphis than anywhere else in the country.
“This was an acknowledgment that no, we are not in a good place and there needs to be an all-hands-on-deck approach in order to mitigate this particular STI,” said State Senator London Lamar (D-Memphis-District 33).
Lamar has joined forces with 16 other Democrat legislators to push for changes that she thinks will help change the rising statistics.
“It is the responsibility of the state level to do more and help curb this epidemic that we’re seeing in the city,” Lamar said.
The group sent a letter to Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Ralph Alvarado, asking for answers to several questions, including how legislation that requires parental consent for HIV testing affects minors.
Concerns over how federal funding for public health initiatives, including HIV and STI prevention programs, would be spent was also addressed in the letter.
To date, Lamar says they have not yet received a response.
Meanwhile, Republican efforts to address the issue have been sidelined by Shelby County DA Steve Mulroy and Biden’s Department of Justice.
In May, Biden’s Department of Justice announced they had entered into a deal with DA Mulroy to cease the enforcement of Tennessee criminal code that prosecutes those who are arrested for prostitution and doing so while knowingly afflicted with the HIV virus.
The Department of Justice accused Shelby County of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by targeting sex workers who have HIV. They called the practice discriminatory because HIV is included as a disability under the ADA.
The DOJ told Shelby County that they can continue to prosecute violations for prostitution without the enhancement that elevates the charges to that of a felony and adds penalties as a “violent sexual offense”.
Senator Brent Taylor sent a letter to Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti asking for intervention in the matter, as it is the second time in the past couple of years where Shelby County is being enabled to stop enforcing laws that are made and passed by the state legislature.
One Response
The Memphis Dems always blame TN and Repubs for everything bad > “It is the responsibility of the state level to do more and help curb this epidemic that we’re seeing in the city,” Lamar said.”
They know the problem is “sex workers” who have HIV BUT they don’t want them prosecuted for spreading HIV > “In May, Biden’s Department of Justice announced they had entered into a deal with DA Mulroy to cease the enforcement of Tennessee criminal code that prosecutes those who are arrested for prostitution and doing so while knowingly afflicted with the HIV virus. ”
Message to Memphis Dems > Blame the DOJ.
Memphis is hopeless as long as they keep electing Dems.
It’s also No. 1 on the list of Most Dangerous US Cities. Don’t go there unless you have to and if you do, watch your back – the criminals rob people by shooting them in the back,