Ian Holloway, associate professor of social welfare, spoke to the infectious disease news site Contagion about legislation in California that could help curb HIV transmission. Senate Bill 159, which was enacted on Jan. 1, is expected to increase access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication taken before coming into possible contact with HIV to reduce the risk of infection. The law is intended to increase the availability of the regimen at pharmacies and through Medi-Cal providers. Holloway pointed to research showing significant gaps in access among populations including the state’s Hispanic residents, the group with the largest numbers of new HIV diagnoses, and people between ages 16 and 24. “We expect SB159 to reduce many of the barriers to PrEP uptake,” said Holloway, who has conducted extensive research on health disparities among sexual and gender minority populations. “We hope other states will look to California and see the success of these programs and try to replicate them.”