The General Assembly finds that acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, otherwise known as AIDS, constitutes a serious and unique danger to the public health and welfare. The General Assembly finds that acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is transmitted by sexual activity, by intravenous drug use, or from an infected mother to a fetus and that public fear of contagion from casual contact is not supported by any scientific evidence. The General Assembly finds that acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is transmitted by a retrovirus which makes the possibility of development of an immunization or cure highly unlikely in the near future. The General Assembly finds that, once infected, there is a high probability that an individual will develop acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or a related syndrome and die a premature death as a result, but may live productively for years in a communicable state without showing any signs or symptoms of illness. The General Assembly finds the unique methods of transmission of this disease, and its inevitably fatal course, have raised public fears; changed the attitudes of employers, insurers, educators, law enforcement personnel, and health and medical providers about dealing with the disease; and could unexpectedly raise the medical costs of this state. The General Assembly intends to establish programs and requirements related to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome which carefully balance medical necessity, the right to privacy, and protection of the public from harm and which establish public programs for the care and treatment of persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and related conditions.
Effective: July 13, 1990
History: Created 1990 Ky. Acts ch. 443, sec. 1, efffective July 13, 1990.