PRINTER'S NO. 2842
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2178
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY CEPHAS, WAXMAN, SANCHEZ, KINSEY, BELLMON, KHAN,
HANBIDGE, HILL-EVANS, CURRY, MAYES, OTTEN AND DALEY,
APRIL 3, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, APRIL 3, 2024
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 63 (Professions and Occupations (State Licensed))
2 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for
3 training relating to implicit bias and cultural competence.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Title 63 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
7 Statutes is amended by adding a part to read:
8 PART III
9 ADMINISTRATION
10 Chapter
11 61. Training
12 CHAPTER 61
13 TRAINING
14 Sec.
15 6101. Definitions.
16 6102. Continuing education.
17 6103. Regulations.
18 § 6101. Definitions.
 1 The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
2 shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
3 context clearly indicates otherwise:
4 "Cultural competence." The ability to understand,
5 communicate with and effectively interact with people of
6 different races, ethnicities and cultures relating to health and
7 the delivery of health care.
8 "Department." The Department of State of the Commonwealth.
9 "Health-related State board." As follows:
10 (1) Any of the following:
11 (i) The State Board of Chiropractic.
12 (ii) The State Board of Dentistry.
13 (iii) The State Board of Massage Therapy.
14 (iv) The State Board of Medicine.
15 (v) The State Board of Nursing.
16 (vi) The State Board of Examiners of Nursing Home
17 Administrators.
18 (vii) The State Board of Occupational Therapy,
19 Education and Licensure.
20 (viii) The State Board of Optometry.
21 (ix) The State Board of Osteopathic Medicine.
22 (x) The State Board of Pharmacy.
23 (xi) The State Board of Physical Therapy.
24 (xii) The State Board of Podiatry.
25 (xiii) The State Board of Psychology.
26 (xiv) The State Board of Examiners in Speech-
27 Language Pathology and Audiology.
28 (xv) The State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and
29 Family Therapists and Professional Counselors.
30 (2) The term does not include the State Board of
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 1 Veterinary Medicine.
2 "Implicit bias." A belief or set of associations about a
3 group or an individual based upon physical characteristics,
4 race, ethnicity, gender, age, religious creed or sexual
5 orientation, which can result in the inaccurate attribution of
6 particular qualities to the group or individual.
7 § 6102. Continuing education.
8 (a) Requirement.--The department shall require each person
9 applying for a license or certification issued by a health-
10 related State board to complete training regarding implicit bias
11 and cultural competence in accordance with the continuing
12 education requirements of the health-related State board. At a
13 minimum, the training shall include the understanding of
14 implicit bias, including practical techniques to mitigate
15 implicit bias and improve cultural competence.
16 (b) Documentation.--Each person applying for a license or
17 certification issued by a health-related State board shall
18 submit documentation acceptable to the health-related State
19 board of the completion of the training under subsection (a).
20 § 6103. Regulations.
21 The department shall promulgate regulations regarding the
22 following:
23 (1) The competencies that must be achieved through the
24 curriculum and delivery of the training specified under
25 section 6102(a) (relating to continuing education).
26 (2) The minimum number of credit hours necessary for the
27 training specified under section 6102(a).
28 Section 2. This act shall apply to a license or
29 certification issued by a health-related State board on or after
30 the date of the promulgation of the regulations under 63 Pa.C.S.
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1 § 6103.
2 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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