New York A 319: Requires cultural awareness and competence training for medical professionals

Bill Text

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A00319 Summary:

BILL NOA00319 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS S01063

&nbsp

SPONSORCruz

&nbsp

COSPNSRBurdick, Raga, Simone

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Add §6505-f, Ed L; amd §2805-k, Pub Health L

&nbsp

Requires cultural awareness and competence training for medical professionals, including two hours of course work or training encompassing minority healthcare issues; provides an exemption for certain individuals; requires hospitals and facilities to request documentation of the completion of training from employees and prospective employees.

Go to top A00319 Actions:

BILL NOA00319 

&nbsp

01/08/2025referred to higher education

01/07/2026referred to higher education

Go to topA00319 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topA00319 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topA00319 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 319

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN ASSEMBLY

 (Prefiled)

 January 8, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. CRUZ, BURDICK, RAGA, SIMONE -- read once and
 referred to the Committee on Higher Education

 AN ACT to amend the education law and the public health law, in relation
 to requiring cultural awareness and competence training for medical
 professionals

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6505-f
 2 to read as follows:
 3 § 6505-f. Course work or training in cultural awareness and compe-
 4 tence. 1. Every physician, physician assistant, dentist, registered
 5 nurse, licensed practical nurse, podiatrist, optometrist and nurse prac-
 6 titioner practicing in the state who provides direct medical services to
 7 patients in this state shall, on or before July first, two thousand
 8 twenty-six and every registration period thereafter, complete course
 9 work or training regarding cultural awareness and competence in the
 10 provision of medical services in accordance with regulated standards
 11 promulgated by the department, in consultation with the department of
 12 health. Such cultural awareness and competence course work or training
 13 shall require two hours of course work or training encompassing minority
 14 healthcare issues including ethnic, religious, linguistic, sexual orien-
 15 tation and gender identity healthcare issues and their impact on minori-
 16 ty healthcare. In promulgating regulatory standards pursuant to this
 17 section the department is advised to consult with organizations repre-
 18 sentative of professions, institutions and those with expertise in
 19 cultural awareness and competence.
 20 2. As used in this section, "acceptable formal continuing education"
 21 shall mean formal programs of learning which contribute to professional
 22 practice and which meet the standards prescribed by regulations of the
 23 commissioner. To fulfill the mandatory continuing education requirement,

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD00464-01-5

 A. 319 2

 1 programs must be taken from sponsors having the facilities, equipment,
 2 and financial and physical resources to provide continuing education
 3 courses, approved by the department, pursuant to the regulations of the
 4 commissioner. Continuing education may be provided in an internet-based
 5 course format as approved by the department.
 6 3. Each such professional shall attest to the department at the time
 7 of registration commencing with the first registration after July first,
 8 two thousand twenty-six that the professional has completed course work
 9 or training in accordance with this section.
 10 4. The department shall provide an exemption from this requirement to
 11 anyone who requests such an exemption and who: (i) clearly demonstrates
 12 to the department's satisfaction that there would be no need for the
 13 requestor to complete such course work or training because of the nature
 14 of the requestor's practice; (ii) has completed course work or training
 15 deemed by the department to be equivalent to the course work or training
 16 approved by the department pursuant to this section; (iii) has completed
 17 course work or training pertaining to cul