In deal with DOJ and ACLU, Tennessee agrees to remove sex workers with HIV from sex offender registry
CBSN
The Tennessee government has agreed to begin scrubbing its sex offender registry of dozens of people who were convicted of prostitution while having HIV, reversing a practice that federal lawsuits have challenged as draconian and discriminatory.
For more than three decades, Tennessee's "aggravated prostitution" laws have made prostitution a misdemeanor for most sex workers but a felony for those who are HIV-positive. Tennessee toughened penalties in 2010 by reclassifying prostitution with HIV as a "violent sexual offense" with a lifetime registration as a sex offender — even if protection is used.
At least 83 people are believed to be on Tennessee's sex offender registry solely because of these laws, with most living in the Memphis area, where undercover police officers and prosecutors most often invoked the statute, commonly against Black and transgender women, according to a lawsuit filed last year by the American Civil Liberties Union and four women who were convicted of aggravated prostitution. The Department of Justice challenged the law in a separate suit earlier this year.
Flagstaff, Arizona — Scientists have long suspected that Mexican long-nosed bats migrate through southeastern Arizona, but without capturing and measuring the night-flying creatures, proof has been elusive.
In this year's Super Bowl, Philadelphia star offensive tackle Jordan Mailata is hoping a new generation of helmets will help keep him in the game — avoiding the same fate as Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford, who was sidelined after suffering a concussion in the AFC Championship weeks ago.
Trump administration political appointees have taken steps in recent weeks to exert unprecedented influence over the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's flagship medical research publication, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, multiple federal health officials tell CBS News. The interference included dictating what to cover and withholding studies on the growing bird flu outbreak.
Robin Eaton wants women to trust their gut when it comes to their heart.
Nearly 100 people have been sickened by an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness on a Royal Caribbean cruise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Cambridge, England — Scientists have long said cutting methane emissions is key to addressing climate change, but many big industries aren't readily able to curb their production of the harmful greenhouse gas. A British company says it has an answer: Turn methane into something else.
Red light therapy isn't the only skincare trend experts are seeing pop up recently. "Brotox" and other cosmetic treatments among men are also on the rise.
With the price of eggs rising and shortages being reported at grocery stores around the U.S., hungry consumers may need to look outside the box, or shell, for alternatives.
Washington — The world warmed to yet another monthly heat record in January, despite an abnormally chilly United States, a cooling La Nina and predictions of a slightly less hot 2025, according to the European climate service Copernicus.
Since ChatGPT was released just over two years ago, its use everywhere from the workplace to academia has expanded significantly. In schools across the country, teachers and administrators have been grappling with how to contend with this new tool. While some say it has benefits, others point out the negatives, like cheating.
Human brains contain higher concentrations of microplastics than other organs, according to a new study, and the amount appears to be increasing over time.
Red light therapy, also known as LED therapy, is gaining popularity in the skin care world for its potential anti-aging benefits.
Asteroid samples fetched by NASA hold not only the pristine building blocks for life but also the salty remains of an ancient water world, scientists reported Wednesday.