Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) last month signed into law a measure that its advocates say removes a major barrier to HIV testing by requiring a patient to give simple consent, rather than informed consent, prior to the test. The legislation, which garnered almost unanimous support in the state legislature, also streamlines some of the procedures a physician must follow in testing pregnant women. The law "normalizes the process of testing by making HIV screening a routine part of medical care," said Joseph Terrill, public policy coordinator for Sacramento-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation, adding that the legislation also has provisions to maintain and safeguard patient confidentiality and an individual's right to choose whether to be tested.