Governor Newsom Signs Bill to Prohibit Discrimination Against HIV Positive Life Insurance Applicants

September 30, 2020

SACRAMENTO, CA – Gov. Gavin Newsom Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill authored by Sen. Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park), Chair of the Senate Insurance Committee, along with the members of the committee, with legal changes that will benefit consumers, including addressing 30 years of discrimination against HIV positive individuals.

Senate Bill 1255 provides flexibility to the California Department of Insurance process for punishing misconduct against seniors and will also extend certain Long Term Care Insurance Task Force deadlines by one year.

“As Chair of the Senate Insurance Committee, I want to thank Senator Lena Gonzalez for her work on expanding access to life insurance," Senator Rubio said. “This is a common sense change to the law. HIV is now a controllable disease, and HIV positive individuals deserve every opportunity to provide financial security for their families.”

Importantly, through negotiation with the supporters of SB 961 (Gonzalez), the contents of SB 961 were added to this omnibus bill in an attempt to reduce the number of measures required to be heard during the pandemic.

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