Washington State Has The Vote It Needs To Pass Marriage Equality

According to our friend Andy over at Towleroad:

Image via Wikipedia

Washington state has the votes to legalize same-sex marriage after State Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen says she’ll support the marriage equality bill, KIRO reports:

In a statement, Haugen said, “I know this announcement makes me the so-called 25th vote, the vote that ensures passage. That’s neither here nor there. If I were the first or the seventh or the 28th vote, my position would not be any different. I happen to be the 25th because I insisted on taking this much time to hear from my constituents and to sort it out for myself, to reconcile my religious beliefs with my beliefs as an American, as a legislator, and as a wife and mother who cannot deny to others the joys and benefits I enjoy.”

Haugen’s announcement comes as the first hearings on the measure are being held in Washington’s capitol. Twenty-five votes are required for passage of the bill in the state Senate, and Haugen’s would be the 25th committed vote.

Haugen’s full statement is powerful and realistic and human. She obviously took this seriously, went past the rhetoric and used that most amazing tool of humanity- the conscience. And everyone who wrestles with the issue of marriage equality- or is affected by it should read it.

It’s with the full story here.

Marriage Equality Gaining Momentum in Two States with Catholic Governors (and Among Catholic Mayors, too) (newwaysministryblog.wordpress.com)
Marriage Equality Within Reach in Washington: AP (towleroad.com)
Republicans, Local Governments Endorse Marriage Equality Effort In Washington State (thinkprogress.org)
Spokesman-Review Opinion: “Gays Deserve Same Rights” (dgsma.wordpress.com)
A Civil Discussion on Civil Marriage (newwaysministryblog.wordpress.com)

Racism, Unleashed

Jan23 by D Gregory Smith

Because we have an African American in the White House, and a chequered American past as far as racial equality (and inequality for that matter) are concerned, it was only a matter of time.

To play the (Aryan) race card.

Little Green Footballs is reporting that Fox Nation has posted a video that has resulted in hundreds of racist, offensive comments:

Image via Wikipedia

As we’ve noted at LGF many times, Fox Nation, official discussion forum of Fox News, has become utterly indistinguishable from a neo-Nazi hate site like Stormfront. And here’s another graphic, disgusting demonstration.

Yesterday, whatever race-baiting goon runs that site posted a video of Sheila Jackson Lee, criticizing Newt Gingrich’s racist code words:

Sheila Jackson Lee: Newt Using ‘Codewords’ to be Racist – Newt Gingrich – Fox Nation

Of course, they knew exactly what would happen; that’s why they posted the video. Fox Nation commenters responded with a torrent of outraged whining and denials: “Democrats are the real racists,” “Sheila Jackson Lee is the real racist,” “There’s no racism in America,” “I’m sick of being accused of racism,” etc. etc. etc.

And there were real, disgustingly racist and hateful comments posted throughout the site- which they’ve taken down. Comments are now closed. But if you want to see what they said, you can go to Little Green Footballs site, linked above. I won’t reprint them here.

This is nothing new- it started the second Obama started to gain traction in the primaries. You remember the jokes, the pictures, the sneers. But there are arguments, like Lee’s, that the Republican challenger’s rhetoric is inflammatorily “coded” to incite fear and disgust in his audience without actually sounding the alarm- especially as a white Southerner familiar with the race-baiting fear tactics so popular (and effective) in the 60’s.

Do I believe the President can handle this rhetoric? I do. He will do it with his characteristic intelligence and grace.

What bothers me is this: A significant part of the American Public too easily fall into this unenlightened position of racial ridiculousness. And Fox News just seems to be fanning those flames- “out of concern for America,” mind you.

Watch closely, America. It’s out there.

The Persona of the Pot Calling the Kettle Black (AGAIN), Sheila Jackson Lee accuses Newt Gingrich of Using Code Words (gds44.wordpress.com)
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee: Newt Uses “Codewords” To Be Racist (alan.com)
Is Newt ‘Subtly Racist’? (theroot.com)

Dragon Babies

Jan22 by D Gregory Smith

Since my Sisters-in-Law are expecting twins this April, Ken has been watching out for all things “baby”. Here’s a cool thing he found on Metafilter:

A much anticipated birth is expected by many Chinese families after the New Moon on Monday, 23rd January ushers in the auspicious Year of the Dragon. The only mythological beast in the Chinese Zodiac, the Dragon as a symbol in China dates back to 3000 BC and stands for happiness, immortality, procreation, fertility and activity. This year’s babies will be Black Water Dragons, considered to be calmer, more flexible and even more charismatic than other elements. In previous dragon years, countries such as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore have all experienced baby booms, and preparations are in place for this year’s influx of baby dragons.

Now, who wouldn’t want a baby like that? Especially when there’ll be two…. Make sure and check out the links in the post- they lead to a lot of interesting ephemera.

Chinese Year of the Dragon- 2012: The Dragon and the Rooster – A Chinese Folk Tale (thehenrybrothers.wordpress.com)
Chinese New Year: The Year of the Dragon (friendseat.com)
Dragon year roars ! (rightways.wordpress.com)
Year of the dragon: Firebreathers reign in pop culture (herocomplex.latimes.com)

Sound Familiar?

Jan21 by D Gregory Smith

To Montana LGBT folks it does.

The New York Times is reporting that despite being unenforceable, irrelevant and ridiculously out of date, Kansas sodomy laws are being kept on the books by Governor Sam Brownback. Excerpt:

Image via Wikipedia

Gov. Sam Brownback created the Office of the Repealer to recommend the elimination of out-of-date, unreasonable and burdensome state laws that build up in any bureaucracy over time.

For gay men and lesbians, there seemed one particularly obvious candidate: Kansas Statute 21-3505.

That would be the “criminal sodomy” statute, which prohibits same-sex couples from engaging in oral or anal sex. The law was rendered unenforceable nearly a decade ago by a United States Supreme Court ruling, but it remains enshrined in the state’s legal code.

But on Friday, when Mr. Brownback, a conservative Republican, released a list of 51 laws to recommend to the Legislature for repeal, the sodomy statute was not among them.

The decision, despite public and private lobbying, has angered gay leaders here. “We were pretty much the first in line with our request to have this unconstitutional ban on gay and lesbian relations repealed,” said Thomas Witt, chairman of the Kansas Equality Coalition.

“This isn’t just some archaic law that’s sitting on the books and isn’t bothering anyone,” Mr. Witt continued. “It’s used as justification to harass and discriminate against people, and it needs to go.”

Mr. Brownback, who is a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage on religious grounds, declined to comment, and his spokeswoman would not say whether he would support repealing the law against same-sex sodomy, a misdemeanor that officially carries a prison sentence of up to six months.

This is familiar, because the Montana Legislature did the exact same thing last session, refusing to remove an anachronistic, irrelevant law from the books– ostensibly to shame and vilify LGBT persons.

It’s simple hate, bigotry and discrimination. As I’ve said before, these Christianist conservatives don’t give a shit about human rights, they don’t give a shit about science and they don’t give a shit about gay people.

The only cool thing about this is that the tide of public opinion is steadily going against actions like these– making the case that these bigots are out of touch with the common sense of the American people, and will soon be anachronistic and irrelevant themselves.

Full NYT story here.

Does It Matter That Kansas Has An Unenforcable Anti-Sodomy Law On Its Books? (queerty.com)
More On Montana Domestic Partnerships Appeal (dgsma.wordpress.com)
News: David Pocock, Delhi, Maggie Gallagher, J Edgar Hoover (towleroad.com)
Hope for MT? : Commonwealth Countries Asked To Decriminalize Gays (dgsma.wordpress.com)

A Rehberg Tax Reminder

Jan20 by D Gregory Smith

…from The Montana Democrats:

Image by republicanconference via Flickr

Congressman Dennis Rehberg again turned to his trusted talking points, telling Montana businesses (yesterday) what they want to hear. But Rehberg’s record as a 11-year Congressman tells a much different story.

In a speech to the Montana Chamber of Commerce, Rehberg said businesses need more certainty and fewer regulations. Yet less than a month ago, Rehberg voted for more uncertainty when he voted against a payroll tax extension and against the Keystone XL Pipeline.

“In just the last year, Dennis Rehberg voted to raise taxes on middle-class families, he voted to shut down our government twice, and he voted to default our nation’s economy,” said Montana Democratic Party Executive Director Ted Dick. “That’s one of the worst things that could have happened for business certainty. Congressman Rehberg ought to know that Montana businesses want real solutions, not partisanship in Congress.”

Rehberg criticized regulations that hurt small businesses, but in 2010, he voted against the Food Safety Modernization Act. Senator Jon Tester, a Montana farmer, successfully amended the law to ensure that family farmers and food producers were protected from federal regulations they don’t need and can’t afford.

“Congressman Dennis Rehberg has a long record of irresponsible decisions that have hurt Montana businesses and helped his fellow millionaires,” Dick said. “After a career in politics that stretches back to 1977, Dennis Rehberg has lost touch with Montana.”

Here’s a quick look at Rehberg’s record of hurting Montana’s businesses and helping himself:

In his first year in Congress, Rehberg squandered a $236 billion surplus
During his 11 years in Congress, Rehberg has given himself FIVE pay raises while voting to raise the debt ceiling TEN times.
Rehberg was named the Tea Party Caucus‘ top earmarker
Rehberg voted against an extension of the payroll tax holiday and against the Keystone XL pipeline
Rehberg voted for a three-percent tax on contractors

In December 2010, Rehberg voted for the largest tax increase in history on Montana families and businesses.

“Where Are You?” (dgsma.wordpress.com)
Rehberg Says Congress Is Just As Functional As Lindsay Lohan (dgsma.wordpress.com)

Greg Louganis: Dancing With The Stars?

Jan20 by D Gregory Smith

Anyone who’s watched Olympic Champion Greg Louganis do his thing from a diving board knows that he possesses grace, power, determination and skill. But can he move on the dance floor?

His followers on Facebook say “Give him a chance!” To that end, they’ve created a page called “We Want Greg Louganis On Dancing With The Stars“.

“I really want to do this for GLBT youth,” Louganis told me this morning. “Being on Dancing With The Stars is more than me being on the show, it sends a positive message- an ‘It Gets Better’ message. And that message is still important- kids are still losing hope. I want to do what I can for them.”

There have been gay men on DWTS before- Lance Bass, Carson Cressley and Louis Amstel- and Chaz Bono broke the transgender barrier last season, but if this bid is successful, Greg would be the first openly HIV+ contestant. And it’s about time, say HIV activists.

“In a generation that is trying to end AIDS, it’s great to have openly HIV positive sports figures like Greg Louganis in the spot light,” said Tom Donohue, founder and executive director of Who’s Positive, an HIV/AIDS advocacy and awareness organization. “Not only can his presence be a reminder for folks to be tested, his appearance on Dancing With The Stars can reemphasize how those living with HIV/AIDS can live normal and active lives.” Donohue is also on the board of directors for The National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA).

Time will tell if this Facebook movement will work- but if the producers are recruiting Tim Tebow– it seems only fair.

Louganis’ Facebook campaign page here.

AIDS: “The Unnecessary Epidemic” (dgsma.wordpress.com)
Michael Fassbender’s ‘Prometheus’ Character Inspired By… Greg Louganis? (moviesblog.mtv.com)
Tim Tebow Set to Appear on Dancing With the Stars (weeklyworldnews.com)

Hill + Sonju = More Taxes

Jan19 by D Gregory Smith

Montana Democratic Party Executive Director Ted Dick released the following statement in response to Rick Hill‘s running mate announcement:

Image by The Library of Congress via Flickr

“Republicans need to decide if they think their strongest candidates are a lobbyist-turned-Congressman-turned-lobbyist and a state legislator who has voted six times to raise his pay, despite the fact that his company is making millions off of federal earmarks. With his record of raising taxes on small businesses and working families and continued support of a sales tax, my guess is that Mr. Hill has his work cut out for him.”

The Montana Democrats elaborated with the following:

Hill Lobbied for $400 Million Sales Tax, $72 Million Income Tax

During the 1993 legislative session, Hill lobbied to pass two measures that would drastically increase taxes on Montanans. The first measure was a bill to place a $400 million sales tax measure on the ballot. It was rejected by the voters 75% to 25%. Hill also lobbied on behalf of a bill that would have increased income taxes by $72 million, but was again rejected by voters. [Billings Gazette State Bureau, 5/23/1996]

Hill Still Supports a Sales Tax

INTERVIEWER: You would support a sales tax as a substitute tax, you would be open to that?

HILL: I would be open to it as a substitute tax. [Voices of Montana, 8/18/2011]

A lot of people have advocated in Montana for a long time that we need three stools to our tax structure; got to have the income tax, the property tax, and the sales tax. I have often been an advocate for sales tax as a substitute. [Hometown Helena, 6/2/2011]

Sonju Votes Six Times To Raise Legislator Compensation Package

In each of the four legislative sessions that Sen. Jon Sonju has served, he has voted for House Bill 1, the “feed bill” that finances the legislative session. In each session, the legislature has increased the amount of money they reimburse themselves, leading to biannual increases in their pay package. [HB 1, 2nd Reading, 1/12/2005 Yes, 3rd Reading, 1/13/2005 Yes; HB 1, 2nd Reading, 1/12/2007 Yes, 3rd Reading, 1/15/2005 No; HB 1, 2nd Reading, 1/8/2009 Yes, 3rd Reading, 1/8/2009 Yes; HB 1, 2nd Reading, 1/22/2011 Yes, 3rd Reading, 1/22/2011 No]

Sonju Lobbies for Millions in Federal Earmarks

“Some Montana companies with longtime Republican ties, however, still support earmarks. Kalispell-based Sonju Industries has teamed with the missile systems division of defense giant Raytheon Co. on a project that has previously received federal funding, and it asked for $8 million again this year. Jon Sonju, an officer of the company and a Republican representative in the Montana Legislature, met with Rehberg staff on the matter before Rehberg announced his earmark moratorium.” [Billings Gazette, 10/23/2010]

Rehberg Tax Plan Increases Deficit by $25 Billion (dgsma.wordpress.com)
We might as well grow tails to chase (hubbubofthevalley.wordpress.com)
‘No Pay, No Play’ Legislation Approved in Montana (news.onlineautoinsurance.com)

Catholics and Gays: Joel Connelly Calls Out The Church

Jan18 by D Gregory Smith

The Seattle PI’s Joel Connelly has an illustrious history of commentary in Seattle. I’ve enjoyed him for years. But in Monday’s Seattle Post-Intelligencer, he makes one of the best cases for the Catholic Church to give up the paranoid same-sex marriage rhetoric- and his seasoned, well-reasoned thoughts beg to be shared. Excerpt:

The bishops see themselves as shepherds, but American Catholics are not sheep. They think and act independently. A recent survey by the Public Religion Research Institute found that nearly three quarters of Catholics favor letting gays and lesbians marry (43 percent) or form civil unions (31 percent).

“Catholics are more supportive of legal recognitions of same-sex relationships than members of any other Christian tradition and Americans overall,” the survey concluded.

The church is also hurting itself: Its social activism, defense of human dignity and witness to peace should make it a beacon for all who seek justice. Instead, the church is pilloried as an instrument of reaction.

Its wounds are self inflicted, a classic case of clerical error. As the National Catholic Reporter put it, editorializing after New York legislators approved marriage equality last spring:

“Even if the bishops had a persuasive case to make and the legislative tools at their disposal, their public conduct in recent years — wholesale excommunications, railing at politicians, denial of honorary degrees and speaking platforms at Catholic institutions, using the Eucharist as a political bludgeon, refusing to entertain any questions or dissenting opinions, and engaging in open warfare with the community’s thinkers as well as those, especially women, who have loyally served the church — has resulted in a kind of episcopal caricature, the common scolds of the religion world, the caustic party of ‘no’.”

Connelly is taking a fair and balanced approach, using the Catholic tradition of social justice and charity to argue for the reality of human experience- in this case the reality of same-sex relationships. The very reality of them flies in the face of the “Natural Law‘ argument:

“Jesus befriended those who were marginalized because He knew it was only in the security of loving, unconditional relationships that hearts and lives are healed,” argues writer Justin Cannon, reflecting the Christian faith as taught to us by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Not only healed, but enriched. I’ve witnessed a warm, very traditional moment over the years. A goofy, dreamy smile crosses the face of a friend, who after years of playing the field announces “Well, I met this woman (or guy)!” It signals a readiness to settle down. My natural reaction is to say, “You lucky dog!” and to be there, in affection and support, when the knot is tied.

Life together is a natural passage in life. Yet, according to “natural law” the Catholic church frowns on my friends who fall in love with somebody of their own gender. It violates nature, according to a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops statement, because such “inherently non-procreative” relationships “cannot be given the status of marriage.”

The church’s positions are, as state Sen. Ed Murray put it Friday night, “hurtful” as well as contradictory.

Out of one side of its mouth, the church condemns “all forms of unjust discrimination, harrassment and abuse” against gays and lesbians. At the same time, the Cathechism of the Catholic Church describes “deep-seated homosexual tendencies” as “objectively disordered.”

As my critical thinking professor at Carroll College taught me, the Church’s argument is flawed. It can’t have it both ways. It either acknowledges the reality of same-sex relationships- the reality of the complexity of human love as a gift from God- or it becomes the ubiquitous symbol of fantasy, its credibility falling off the edge of its own absurdly flattened earth.

Connelly’s brave, full essay is here.

Across the Land, Catholic Support for Marriage Equality Grows (newwaysministryblog.wordpress.com)
Catholic Leaders Lash Out at Gay-Marriage Bill, but Do Seattle’s Liberal Catholics Have the Courage to Lash Back? (slog.thestranger.com)
The Catholic Hierarchy: “Suffer The Little Children.” (dgsma.wordpress.com)
A Woman Working for St. James Cathedral Grabbed My Hand and Tried to Steal My Pen to Make Me Stop Writing About the Seattle Church’s Campaign to Ban Marriage Equality (slog.thestranger.com)

AIDS: “The Unnecessary Epidemic”

Jan17 by D Gregory Smith

This eloquent, excellent article is from The National Association Of People With AIDS/HIV (NAPWA) newsletter, Positive Voice. It outlines many of the challenges we face as a country- including homophobia, stigma, and stinginess- in getting HIV under control:

This is an exciting time for all of us who live with HIV or are affected by it. Theoretical models predicted for years that treatment-as-prevention could work, and the last year confirmed it. In the elegantly designed HPTN 052 trial, results showed that serodiscordant heterosexual couples had a drastically reduced risk of infection for the HIV-negative partner when the positive partner was receiving effective treatment with antiretroviral drugs.British Columbia didn’t wait for trial results. For several years, the province has aggressively sought to find and treat as many HIV-infected people as possible, and the numbers of AIDS deaths and new HIV infections are now coming down. Dr. Julio Montaner, father of the B.C. program, remarked recently that the falling number of (known) new infections was not the result of less testing, or of safer sex. That leaves only one plausible explanation: reduced community viral load.

So we can end this epidemic. It’s time to start calling it The Unnecessary Epidemic.

As NAPWA President and CEO told us in the previous issue of Positive Voice, ending the epidemic will take resources, resources, resources. Resources for high-impact prevention programs. Resources for treatment and support services for all who need them. Resources to fix an unfair health care system.

But it’s also going to take more than resources. It will take changes in public attitudes. Twenty percent of Americans living with HIV don’t know it. Some of them don’t because prevention and testing programs haven’t reached them. Other don’t because having HIV can be so stigmatizing that they would really rather die slowly than know their status.

So let’s look at some public drivers of HIV stigma, and then look at the consequences.

The evils of “second-hand sodomy”

On the site Conservapedia.com – think of it as Wikipedia for the “right”-minded – Americans for Truth (!) president Peter LaBarbera writes, Why isn’t there a concerted government effort – akin to the current anti-smoking campaigns – to reign in homosexual promiscuity – beginning with closing down all sex businesses (bathhouses) that facilitate homosexual perversion? (Of course, we favor closing down straight prostitution businesses as well.) We know that bisexual behavior (men on the “down low”) help spread dangerous diseases to the general population: how many deaths and illnesses have to result from “second-hand sodomy” before authorities take corrective action?

Translation: it’s all the gays’ fault. If we could just shut down all gay sex, the epidemic would go away. Never mind that a majority of African Americans living with HIV are women, in numbers that could not possibly be accounted for by some partners’ “down low” adventures, and HIV in Africa was a heterosexual disease from day one. LaBarbera is saying that sex he disapproves of is perversion, perversion leads to disease, and “second-hand disease” is tantamount to murder.

Just as bizarrely, Dr. Peter Duesberg continues to contend that HIV is harmless and AIDS is caused by gay sex and drug use. Somehow, we just don’t think most of the African American women living with AIDS have been having gay sex and sniffing poppers…. And never mind the experience of people with HIV who were on the ropes in 1996, when drug cocktails based on protease inhibitors were just coming into use, and eight weeks after we started our new drug regimens our viral loads were down, our T cells were up, and our dermatologists were telling us we didn’t have to come back anymore for our every-two-weeks appointment to zap new KS lesions. Practical lesson: control the HIV and the AIDS symptoms go away. Conclusion: the virus causes the symptoms. Discussion over, Dr. D.

Not victim-free expressions of opinion

We can laugh at these extreme opinions, but publishing them is not a victimless crime. Duesberg’s opinions delayed wide use of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) in South Africa for years, and people died. The shame about non-majority sexual orientation spread by Conservapedia and others keeps people who know they should get tested from doing so and having to live with a positive result. Using criminal law as a (failed) tool to prevent new infections drives infected people and injection drug users underground, where prevention and treatment services can’t reach them.

How the Grinch stole your needle exchange

The 2013 federal budget just passed reinstates the former ban on federal funding for one of the most targeted, cost-effective HIV programs ever conceived: injection needle exchanges. The ban was one of many prices, just before Christmas, for passing any budget at all. The underlying thinking may have had something in common with Conservapedia’s panacea of outlawing gay sex: just say “there ought to be a law,” whether it’s a matter law can deal with effectively or not. It can’t, and we wonder whether many members of Congress demanding the ban knew that. Certainly those with competent health policy staffers did.

Naming stigma – and praising constructive action

As a community of people who live with HIV or serve those who do, we have a responsibility to call out stigma wherever we see – HIV stigma, homophobia, unease with transgendered people, the cruel expectation that people trapped in sex work or drug use are in control and should just go cold turkey and quit. This is more important than any quarrels we may have among ourselves about PrEP, condoms, or whether to concentrate on developing a preventive or therapeutic vaccine first (scientific accident will decide that for us).

To join the National Association Of People with AIDS/HIV, click here.

“The Race To End AIDS” (dgsma.wordpress.com)
Southern Poverty Law Center’s HateWatch and the AIDS Deniers (denyingaids.blogspot.com)
Three Pronged Strategy To End The HIV/AIDS Epidemic (medicalnewstoday.com)
Family Research Council’s Solution To AIDS Epidemic: Criminalize Gay Sex (thinkprogress.org)

ADAP Watch 1/13/2012

Jan16 by D Gregory Smith

ADAPs With Waiting Lists (4,717 individuals in 12 states*, as of January 12, 2012)
State	Number of Individuals on ADAP Waiting List	Percent of the Total ADAP Waiting List	Increase/Decrease From Previous Reporting Period	Date Waiting List Began
Alabama	47	1%	-44	October 2011
Florida	1,301	28%	135	June 2010
Georgia	1,275	27%	-12	July 2010
Idaho	6	0.1%	-3	February 2011
Louisiana**	628	13%	27	June 2010
Montana	11	0.2%	-2	January 2008
Nebraska	17	0.4%	2	October 2011
North Carolina	126	3%	1	January 2010
Ohio	0	0%	0	July 2010
South Carolina	164	3%	0	March 2010
Utah	32	1%	0	May 2011
Virginia	1,110	24%	7	November 2010
* As a result of FY2011 ADAP emergency funding, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia were able to reduce the overall number of individuals on their waiting lists. ** Louisiana has a capped enrollment on their program. This number represents their current unmet need.

ADAPs With Other Cost-Containment Strategies: Financial Eligibility (445 Individuals in 6 States, as of November 9, 2011)
State	Lowered Financial Eligibility	Disenrolled Clients
Arkansas	500% to 200% FPL	99 clients (September 2009)
Illinois	500% to 300% FPL	Grandfathered in current clients from 301-500% FPL
North Dakota	400% to 300% FPL	Grandfathered in current clients from 301-400% FPL
Ohio	500% to 300% FPL	257 clients (July 2010)
South Carolina	550% to 300% FPL	Grandfathered in current clients from 301-550% FPL
Utah	400% to 250% FPL	89 clients (September 2009)

ADAPs with Other Cost-containment Strategies (instituted since April 1, 2009, as of November 9, 2011)

Alabama: reduced formulary Arizona: reduced formulary Arkansas: reduced formulary Colorado: reduced formulary Florida: reduced formulary, transitioned 5,403 clients to Welvista from February 15 to March 31, 2011 Georgia: reduced formulary, implemented medical criteria, participating in the Alternative Method Demonstration Project Illinois: reduced formulary, instituted monthly expenditure cap ($2,000 per client per month), disenrolled clients not accessing ADAP for 90-days Kentucky: reduced formulary Louisiana: discontinued reimbursement of laboratory assays North Carolina: reduced formulary North Dakota: capped enrollment, instituted annual expenditure cap Ohio: reduced formulary Puerto Rico: reduced formulary Utah: reduced formulary Virginia: reduced formulary, restricted eligibility criteria, transitioned 204 clients onto waiting list Washington: instituted client cost sharing, reduced formulary, only paying insurance premiums for clients currently on antiretrovirals Wyoming: capped enrollment, reduced formulary, instituted client cost sharing

ADAPs Considering New/Additional Cost-containment Measures (before March 31, 2012***)

Alaska: reduce formulary Florida: lower financial eligibility Kentucky: reduce formulary Montana: reduce formulary Oregon: reduce formulary Puerto Rico: reduce formulary Tennessee: establish waiting list Wyoming: establish waiting list, lower financial eligibility, institute client cost sharing

Access to Medications (as of November 9, 2011)

Case management services are being provided to ADAP waiting list clients through ADAP (2 ADAP), Part B (9 ADAPs), contracted agencies (5 ADAPs), and other agencies, including other Parts of Ryan White (4 ADAPs).

For clients on ADAP waiting lists who are currently on or in need of medications, 11 ADAP waiting list states can confirm that ADAP waiting list clients are receiving medications through either pharmaceutical company patient assistance programs (PAPs), Welvista, or other mechanisms available within the state.

***March 31, 2012 is the end of ADAP FY2011. ADAP fiscal years begin April 1 and ends March 31. To receive The ADAP Watch, please e-mail Britten Pund at bpund@NASTAD.org.