FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 11, 2026

RICHMOND, Va., June 11, 2026 – Governor Abigail Spanberger signed SB 22 / HB 1147, legislation requiring health care providers licensed under the Board of Medicine and Board of Nursing to complete implicit and explicit bias reduction training. This bill is part of the Queen Candis Sickle Cell Act.

Passage of the Bias Reduction Training Bill marks a significant step forward in improving health equity and patient care across the Commonwealth. The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, which led the PUSH Coalition’s legislative advocacy efforts, celebrated the signing as a major victory for patients, families, and communities throughout Virginia.

Sen. Mamie Locke (D-23rd), chief patron of SB 22, said, “This bill has been six years in the making. This is the fifth bill I have introduced to address what the VDH data continues to reveal: we have significant and persistent racial and rural disparities in our maternal health data. With the passage of this bill, we move from identifying disparities to building a system better equipped to deliver respectful, person-centered intrapartum (childbirth) care.”

Del. Cliff Hayes (D-91st), chief patron of HB 1147, said, “The passage of this legislation is an important step toward improving health outcomes and restoring trust in our health care system. Unconscious bias can affect the quality of care patients receive, particularly those living with sickle cell disease and other historically underserved conditions. This training requirement is about awareness, accountability, and ensuring that every patient is treated with dignity, compassion, and equity. Virginia is sending a clear message that health care excellence must include cultural understanding and unbiased care.”

“We are deeply grateful to Sen. Locke, Del. Hayes, and the PUSH Coalition partners who worked tirelessly over many years to bring this legislation across the finish line,” said Rev. Dr. LaKeisha Cook, the Virginia Interfaith Center’s executive director. “This new law requires evidence-based training, with the goal of increasing access to care that is equitable, culturally responsive, and free from bias. It will help build trust between patients and providers and move Virginia closer to a health care system that serves everyone with fairness and compassion.”

The Virginia Department of Health reports that Black women in Virginia experience maternal mortality rates more than double those of white women, highlighting persistent disparities in health outcomes and access to quality care. Research has consistently shown that unconscious bias affects how patients are diagnosed, treated, and heard — contributing to those disparities.

“This bill goes straight to the heart of a well-documented problem—unconscious bias in health care delivery,” said Kathryn Haines, health equity manager at the Virginia Interfaith Center. “Bias reduction training is a critical component of high-quality patient care, and this law will help ensure that patients feel seen, heard, valued, and understood when they seek medical treatment.”

Dr. Mia Peri, founder of the Medical Students for Maternal Health Equity organization at VCU School of Medicine, said, “As a new physician, I am excited this bill has passed, and that bias training will become even more of a focus for health care workers!”

Legislators, advocates, faith leaders, and impacted community members from across the Commonwealth joined Gov. Spanberger for the ceremonial bill signing at Sentara Community Care Center in Newport News.

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MEDIA CONTACTS
Roberta Oster, VICPP communications director, roberta@virginiainterfaithcenter.org
Kathryn Haines, VICPP health equity manager, kathryn@virginiainterfaithcenter.org 
Molly Widderich, VICPP communications assistant, mwidderich@wm.edu

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The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy advocates for economic, racial, and social justice in Virginia’s policies and practices through education, prayer, and action. VICPP is a nonpartisan, nonprofit coalition of more than 750 faith communities working toward a more just society.