LOUISVILLE, Ky. — HIV self-test kits are now legal in Kentucky. The new law, which went into effect Thursday, also removes felony penalties for people who donate organs, skin or other human tissue while being HIV positive. 

What You Need To Know

  • A new law taking effect nullifies two HIV-related felonies in state law

  •  Kentucky’s HIV Is Not a Crime Coalition, distributed free HIV self-test kits in Louisville and Lexington

  •  The test kits were donated by Norton Healthcare

  • The Fairness Campaign says it wants to change the conversation around HIV and criminal laws in Kentucky and the nation. 

Spectrum News 1 spoke with Noland Gay as he received an HIV self-test kit for the first time in Kentucky.

Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, he has lived in Louisville for about a year and he loves it. He works in a warehouse and has an adult child and two younger children. For him, it’s very important to stay on top of his health.

“Of course, because I ain’t trying to catch no disease, you know what I’m saying? To stay healthy, you know? Make sure everything’s good with my body. Not trying to take no disease from nobody else,” Gay explained.

Kentucky’s HIV Is Not a Crime Coalition, distributed free HIV self-test kits in Louisville and Lexington legally for the first time. The Fairness Campaign said they want to change the conversation about HIV and criminal laws in Kentucky and the nation. The new law, the Fairness Campaign said, allows organizations to distribute free HIV self-tests that people can take home. It was in celebration of House Bill 349 .

“The laws that we eliminated in House Bill 349 were from 1990, when still so little was known about HIV and AIDS. Now, we’ve got one of the most sweeping HIV modernization laws in the entire country. We expect to be a model for other states that have similar outdated HIV laws still,” Chris Hartman, the Executive Director of the Kentucky Fairness Campaign, explained.

Inside these in-home HIV tests, which were donated by Norton Healthcare, you’ll find directions, a test tube and stick as well as guidance on what your results mean to you and more. For Gay, receiving a kit matters.

“For future reference, you know what I’m saying. Just in case I do have safe sex with a guy, girl, whoever I choose to have sex with. Make sure that everything I safe between him or her or me or whatever,” Gay explained.

Gay said he’s going to continue testing because he always keeps his health in check. 

Hartman said self-test kits can also now be mailed to people in Kentucky. He said AIDS volunteers of Lexington are planning to make tests accessible. Free self-test kits are available from Vocal Kentucky at their offices on the 16th floor of the Heyburn Building in Louisville. The Social Practice lab will also distribute test kits at 1229 South Shelby Street in Louisville, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Related Stories