With the successful passage of Senate Bill (SB) 266 during the 2007 Nevada Legislative Session, Nevada became one of the first states to enact new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for the prevention of newborn HIV infection.

To mark this achievement, the UNLV School of Public Health today honored the individuals and agencies responsible for the bill's passage during a special World AIDS Day Public Health Awards ceremony at UNLV.

"The passage of SB 266 is a landmark for Nevada, said Dr. Mary Guinan, dean of UNLV's School of Public Health and member of the CDC task force that investigated the emerging AIDS epidemic in 1981. "Nevada community leaders, governmental public health agencies, non-profit organizations, health care providers, legislators and academic leaders all worked together to ensure that Nevada children are protected from a life-threatening illness. "

SB 266 requires health care providers to ensure that pregnant women receive HIV testing as part of routine prenatal care. If pregnant women are not tested during pregnancy, the bill ensures that rapid HIV testing be available during childbirth--testing that can lead to immediate treatment and reduce the likelihood of perinatal HIV transmission. Prior to testing, pregnant women will also be given a pamphlet explaining HIV, the testing procedures, and their right to opt out of testing.

Among those honored as Legislators of the Year were State Senator Steven Horsford, Assemblyman David Parks, Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie and State Senator Maurice Washington. Agencies of the Year were the Nevada State Health Division, Southern Nevada Health District, Aid for AIDS of Nevada (AFAN) and the Washoe County District Health Department. Individuals honored include Jerry Cade, Eche Ezeanolue and Trudy Larson of the University of Nevada School of Medicine, and Denise Tanata-Ashby and Melva Thompson-Robinson from UNLV.

World AIDS Day was enacted by the United Nations in 1988 and is observed each year on Dec. 1. The purpose is to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS, to urge leaders to help relieve suffering for those afflicted with the disease and to increase efforts to prevent HIV transmission.

For more information on the UNLV School of Public Health, please visit http://publichealth.unlv.edu.