Senator Lashrecse A. Locke, patron of SB 740, told the Senate Health Professions Subcommittee that the bill would add unconscious-bias and cultural-competency training to continuing education requirements for licensure.

The bill, Locke said, responds to persistent racial disparities in maternal outcomes in Virginia, noting that in 2021 pregnancy-related death rates were 113.8 per 100,000 for Black women and 54.8 per 100,000 for white women. Locke said 80.2 percent of pregnancy-related deaths in Virginia are preventable and that bias is implicated when disparities persist after accounting for education and income.

The bill drew support from several witnesses who testified in favor during the five-minute testimony period. Catherine Haynes, health equity manager at the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, cited longitudinal training studies indicating more than 90 percent of participating health professionals reported improved patient encounters and increased confidence in treating diverse populations. Haynes offered a personal example to illustrate how unconscious shortcuts in thinking can affect decisions. Miranda Schindler, a licensed midwife speaking for the Virginia Association of Certified Professional Midwives and the Virginia Midwives Alliance, and Sheanthe Jackson, executive director of the Community Health Workers Association, also testified in support. Emily Moore of Voice for Virginia's Children and Victoria Richardson of the Virginia Poverty Law Center registered support as well.

Senator Chris Head, a co-patron on similar work, said disparities include injury and near-death events in addition to deaths, and reaffirmed the bill's policy rationale. No opposition speakers were recorded.

The subcommittee moved and seconded a recommendation to report SB 740 to the full committee. Roll call recorded Senators Jennifer Boisco, Todd Pillion, Senator Bagby (aye by proxy), Chris Head, Stella Pekarski and Ghazala Hashmi as voting in favor; the motion was recorded as approved with a unanimous aye vote.

The subcommittee recommendation advances SB 740 to the full Senate committee for consideration.