NEW YORK, NY May 28, 2009 —Gay advocacy groups are debating proposed legislation in Albany -- not about same-sex marriage, but about how to get the most people tested for HIV. WNYC's Fred Mogul reports.

Many who test positive for HIV also have full-blown AIDS, meaning they’ve been carrying the virus for a while, and it’s spread through their bodies and possibly the community. Advocates and health experts believe testing should become a routine part of medical care, but they strongly disagree on the specifics.

ANNETTE ROBINSON: When a patient goes in to see a doctor, we want the doctor to be able to offer them an HIV-AIDS test without the formal written consent.

Brooklyn Assemblywoman Annette Robinson spoke at a rally today. She wants to overturn a law requiring patients to sign a form consenting to HIV testing. Robinson and her allies say consenting verbally would simplify the procedure, and make it more like checking cholesterol. A competing bill would streamline some aspects of HIV testing, but would keep the written consent requirement, which they say better preserves patients’ rights. For WNYC, I’m Fred Mogul.