Tennessee’s penalties for HIV-positive people are discriminatory, Justice Department says

By KIMBERLEE KRUESI
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that Tennessee’s decades-old aggravated prostitution statute violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. The department warned on Friday that the state could face a lawsuit if officials don’t immediately cease enforcement. Tennessee is the only U.S. state that imposes a lifetime registration as a “violent sex offender” if convicted of engaging in sex work while living with HIV, regardless of whether the person knew they could transmit the disease. Court documents state that more than 80 people are registered for aggravated prostitution in Tennessee.