HCR47 • 2025

RECOGNIZING RISING HIV INFECTION RATES, FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS, AND GROWING HEALTH DISPARITIES IN DELAWARE.

Healthcare

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Morrison
Last action: 2025-05-14
Official status: Passed 5/14/25
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The resolution does not specify concrete steps or funding for resolving the issues, only encouragement for collaboration.

Recognizing Rising HIV Rates and Health Disparities

This resolution acknowledges the increase in new HIV diagnoses since 2020, reduction in federal funding for prevention efforts, and growing health disparities in Delaware.

What This Bill Does

Acknowledges a rise in new HIV diagnoses since 2020.
Highlights significant cuts in federal HIV prevention funding.
Encourages partnerships between healthcare providers, advocacy organizations, and community leaders to explore ways to reduce HIV infections.
Supports efforts to ensure equitable access to preventive care.

Who It Names or Affects

People living with or at risk of HIV in Delaware.
Healthcare providers and organizations working on HIV prevention.
Community leaders involved in health initiatives.

Terms To Know

HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which can lead to AIDS if not treated.
PrEP: Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, a medication that helps prevent HIV infection in people who are at risk.

Limits and Unknowns

This resolution does not provide new funding or laws but encourages actions to address the issues.
It focuses on recognizing and addressing health disparities without specifying how these will be resolved.

Bill History

2025-05-14 Delaware General Assembly
Introduced in House
2025-05-14 Delaware General Assembly
Passed In House by Voice Vote
2025-05-14 Delaware General Assembly
Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT

Official Summary Text

RECOGNIZING RISING HIV INFECTION RATES, FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS, AND GROWING HEALTH DISPARITIES IN DELAWARE.
This Concurrent Resolution recognizes the escalating HIV crisis in Delaware and the drastic reduction in federal HIV prevention funding. The Resolution encourages healthcare providers, advocacy organizations, and community leaders to collaborate in exploring avenues to reduce HIV infections and ensuring equitable access to preventative care statewide.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Morrison & Sen. Sturgeon

Reps. Griffith, Phillips, Ross Levin, Snyder-Hall, S. Moore, Bush, Harris; Sen. Cruce

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 47

RECOGNIZING RISING HIV INFECTION RATES, FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS, AND GROWING HEALTH DISPARITIES IN DELAWARE.

WHEREAS, Delaware has experienced a 26% increase in new HIV diagnoses since 2020, reflecting a continuing and alarming upward trend in infections; and

WHEREAS, federal HIV prevention funding for Delaware has been drastically reduced—from $1,539,000 in Fiscal Year 2023 to $490,000 in Fiscal Year 2024—a nearly 70% decrease, including the elimination of funding from the CDC’s Division of HIV Prevention; and

WHEREAS, Delaware has historically depended on federal resources to support essential HIV prevention efforts such as free HIV testing, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) navigation, harm reduction programs, and community outreach; and

WHEREAS, Black and Hispanic Delawareans, LGBTQ+ individuals, and residents in rural areas are disproportionately affected by these funding cuts, exacerbating existing health disparities and limiting access to life-saving prevention services; and

WHEREAS, untreated and undiagnosed HIV increases transmission, worsens health outcomes, and places a greater financial and operational burden on Delaware’s already strained healthcare system; and

WHEREAS, the Governor’s Transition Report identifies preventative services and early intervention as key strategies to address social determinants of health, lower healthcare costs, reduce hospital reliance, and improve population health outcomes; and

WHEREAS, community-based prevention services are essential to reaching high-risk and underserved populations, and their erosion due to funding cuts threatens to reverse progress in HIV prevention across the state.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 153rd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring therein, that the General Assembly acknowledges the growing risk of increasing HIV infection rates in the state.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State should encourage community-based prevention services, expanded HIV testing, PrEP access, harm reduction strategies, and culturally responsive outreach programs to mitigate health disparities and reduce the burden on Delaware’s healthcare system.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the General Assembly

encourages healthcare providers, advocacy organizations, and community leaders to collaborate in exploring avenues to reduce HIV infections and ensuring equitable access to preventative care statewide.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution be delivered to the Governor of the State of Delaware, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Secretary of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services.

SYNOPSIS

This Concurrent Resolution recognizes the escalating HIV crisis in Delaware and the drastic reduction in federal HIV prevention funding. The Resolution encourages healthcare providers, advocacy organizations, and community leaders to collaborate in exploring avenues to reduce HIV infections and ensuring equitable access to preventative care statewide.