The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week on whether AIDS groups receiving federal grants could be required to adopt policies against prostitution. Several of the justices indicated that the First Amendment precluded that type of requirement. (The New York Times, April 23, 2013, by Adam Liptak)
A Times’ editorial argued that federal law requiring the policy statements was unreasonable since it would “require almost all recipients of funds to ‘have a policy explicitly opposing prostitution’ — to make an anti-prostitution pledge — and to refrain from any speech the government deems ‘inconsistent with’ the policy.” (The New York Times, April 23, 2013)
Critics of the law argue that it was essential to engage sex-workers unions in the fight against AIDS and the law would hamper efforts to reach those most vulnerable to the HIV epidemic. (Science Speaks Blog, January 14, 2013, by Antigone Barton)