May 29, 2008

Mandatory HIV Tests Before Marriage?

Several Washington, DC, council members are opposing a motion to require HIV tests for people applying for marriage licenses, the Washington Post reports (washingtonpost.com, 5/29). The council members  also recommend that the currently required pre-license syphilis tests be dropped.

In December, a group of council members proposed the Safe Marriage Amendment Act, which would add the HIV testing. However, according to the Post, most American states have eliminated such rules; only two states check the blood of marriage-license applicants: Montana, which tests for rubella, and Mississippi, which tests for syphilis.

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