Michigan State House Passes Bill to Ban Implicit Bias Training for Health Care Professionals
The Michigan state House, led by Republicans, recently approved a bill that would prohibit implicit bias training as a requirement for licensing health care professionals. Additionally, the legislation aims to revoke existing bias training regulations for state-licensed and registered health care workers.
Representative Matt Maddock, the bill’s sponsor, contended that bias training does not contribute to enhancing health care. He expressed, “The content of these programs is divisive, Marxist mental poison.”
Another Republican lawmaker, Representative Jamie Thompson, criticized the bill, calling it a slight against her profession as a licensed nurse. She emphasized her dedication to providing care without discrimination based on factors like race, sexual orientation, age, or cultural background.
On the opposing side, Representative Kristian Grant, a Democrat, voiced concerns about the potential repercussions of eliminating anti-bias training in the healthcare sector. Grant highlighted the importance of such training in assisting health care workers in making informed decisions, especially during critical moments, and fostering better patient care across diverse demographics.
Grant stated, “It teaches clinicians how to serve patients better across differences in age, ability, ethnicity, gender, and health history. It improves trust, communication, and outcomes. To eliminate this training is to weaken Michigan’s healthcare system for everyone.”
The bill passed along party lines in the state House and is now set to be reviewed by the state Senate, where Democrats hold the majority.
