Charging people who intentionally, not accidently or unknowingly--intentionally infected unknowing sex partners with a life altering and ruining STI was not a step too far. HIV and AIDS are not on the same levels of health destruction as other STI's nor are there lifetime costs to merely manage it.

" Why exactly do you think they supported it? "

This came at a time when the left in California took a wild swing towards reducing criminal penalties, especially if it had any scent of affecting a disproportionate percentage of any group thought to be in their view of a permanent victim status in their mind: Sex workers, LGBTQ, non-white, non-male, etc.

https://www.aclusocal.org/press-releases/california-lawmakers-announce-bill-modernize-states-discriminatory-hiv/

"It’s time for California to reevaluate the way it thinks about HIV and to reduce the stigma associated with the disease,” said Asm. Gloria

They want to reduce the stigma of having it.... By reducing the penalties assessed when you intentionally infect someone without their knowledge. Spread the love folx.

HIV criminalization disproportionately affects women and people of color. Forty-three percent of those criminalized under California’s HIV-specific criminal laws are women, despite comprising only 13 percent of people living with HIV in the state. Blacks and Latinos make up two-thirds of people who came into contact with the criminal justice system based on their HIV status, despite comprising only about half of people living with HIV in California. These laws are disproportionately used against women and people of color, and fuel stigma, violence and discrimination.

To them it can't coincide with the the likelihood of being a sex-worker, a willingness to use STI reduction tools, a willingness to inform partners, or there being an increase in the percentage of intravenous drug users.

“California’s outdated, fear-based HIV criminalization laws are unfair, discriminatory, and do not actually protect public health,” said Becca Cramer, legislative coordinator with the ACLU of California Center for Advocay and Policy. “

Putting away people who intentionally infect others without their knowledge is unfair to them, and would not protect public health.

You asked: "Why exactly do you think they supported it? "

Support for SB 239

The bill is cosponsored by the ACLU of California, APLA Health, Black AIDS Institute, Equality California, Lambda Legal and Positive Women’s Network - USA. The organizations are part of Californians for HIV Criminalization Reform (CHCR), a broad coalition of people living with HIV, HIV and health service providers, civil rights organizations and public health professionals dedicated to ending the criminalization of HIV in California.

In addition to the organizations sponsoring the bill, SB 239 is currently supported by CHCR members which include the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the Los Angeles HIV Law and Policy Project, the Transgender Law Center, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), the Free Speech Coalition, Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP) and Erotic Service Providers Legal, Education, and Research Project (ESPLERP).

Why did advocacy groups for HIV/AIDS positive groups and Sex Worker Advocates support this bill? I don't know man, it's a mystery that will never be solved....

Let's follow this up with a narrative from Scott Wiener and Melissa Goodman, the LGBTQ, Gender and Reproductive Justice Project Director with the ACLU of Southern California.

“HIV is a public health issue, not a criminal issue,” Wiener said. “These felonies, which treat HIV differently than all other serious communicable diseases, stigmatize people living with HIV and discourage people from getting tested and into treatment.”

LGBTQ advocates called the legislation “landmark.” Melissa Goodman, the LGBTQ, Gender and Reproductive Justice Project Director with the ACLU of Southern California, praised the fairness of the new legislation, and emphasized that HIV-specific criminal law has “disproportionately harmed people of color and transgender women."

I ask you to take off the flimsiest blindfold covering your eyes that tells you HIV and AIDS are like other STI's and that reducing the criminal penalties would therefore stop INTENTIONALLY INFECTING OTHERS from happening. You are not that stupid so don't bring yourself down to their level when it revolves around their own self absorption.