The U.S. Justice Department has sued the state of Tennessee over its decades-old felony aggravated prostitution law, arguing that it illegally imposes tougher criminal penalties on people who are HIV positive.

The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday sued the state of Tennessee over its decades-old felony aggravated prostitution law, arguing that it illegally imposes tougher criminal penalties on people who are HIV positive.

The lawsuit, filed in western Tennessee, follows an investigation completed in December by the Justice Department that warned that the statute violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. The case heads to court separately from another federal lawsuit filed in October by LGBTQ+ and civil rights advocates over the aggravated prostitution law.

Tennessee is the only state in the United States 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.

  • dlpkl@lemmy.world
    0·
    9 months ago

    You take your car to the mechanic. The technician has a faulty torque wrench and isnt sure if he fastened your lug nuts to the correct spec. It’s now your fault if your wheel flies off at 120kmh, since you only use your car to visit friends, but the poor mechanic has bills to pay!