NEW YORK, NY August 31, 2009 —With some 4,000 prisoners across New York HIV positive, advocates want the state health department to play a greater role in preventing the spread of infectious disease. They held a rally outside Governor Paterson's midtown office today, They're calling on Governor Paterson to sign a bill that easily passed the legislature. Jack Beck from the Correctional Association of New York says the measure would require state health officials to oversee the testing for and treatment of HIV and Hepatitis C in prisons.

BECK: Everywhere else in our New York State healthcare system, the Department of Health is looking at the quality of healthcare in our hospitals and our clinics and why we should take where there's the highest disease burden and not take a look at that just does not make sense.

A spokeswoman says the state Health Department continues to "study" the proposed law.