LINCOLN- In response to a sharp increase in HIV cases in Nebraska, health officials and lawmakers have begun looking for new tools to tackle the problem. One of these is LB307, introduced by Sen. Megan Hunt, which would allow local jurisdictions to authorize pharmacies and public health programs to set up syringe services programs to prevent the spread of HIV and hepatitis C.

Lacie Bolte, lead support manager for the Nebraska AIDS project, said she doesn't want to see Nebraska become another HIV outbreak hotspot like others seen throughout the country. In 2021, claimed Bolte, a rural community in Nebraska saw an outbreak of HIV, which led to 235 people catching the disease. "That's what I'm worried about," said Bolte, "is suddenly we have all these infections and we don't have tools to combat them as quickly as we need them."

Nebraska has averaged about 80 new cases of HIV a year over the last decade, but saw a 21% increase in 2021. 24% of the total cases that year were linked to injection drug use. The intent of Sen. Hunt's LB307 is to exempt care staff and participants in public health programs from a law that makes it illegal to provide others with drug paraphernalia.

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