Skip to main content

Agora
Sign in

Senate bill · S1063 (2025-26)

Requires cultural awareness and competence training for medical professionals

New York State Senate

Same as A319, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Latest action Jun 1, 2026

Sponsor: José M. Serrano (State Senator, District 29, Democratic/Working Families)

Follow

Following needs an Agora account. You will sign in first, then come back to this page.

From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 30, 2026. About our data

Summary

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.

Summary from NY Open Legislation. How we handle summaries

Amends the Education Law.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

This bill improves the quality of healthcare in the state of New York by creating a system of cultural competency course work and training that will help healthcare professionals improve their interactions with minority patients.

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Where it stands

Passed one of the two chambers; it still needs the other.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Up for a vote
  4. Passed one chamber
  5. Passed
  6. Enacted

Committee

Higher Education · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Higher Education · New York State Senate.

Your position on this bill

Choose the position closest to yours. You'll sign in or create an account to save it.

Sign in or create an account to give your position

Cosponsors

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab)
  • Democratic9

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

The sponsor's argument

Why José M. Serrano says this is needed

New York State is one of the most diverse states in the nation, with large populations of historically marginalized groups. It is a well-do- cumented fact that often members of these minority groups fare far worse in many indices of health and well-being. Disparities in access to qual- ity healthcare are one major component of the discrepancies in general health. This bill seeks to close the gap by ensuring that medical professionals that serve minority populations are able to provide culturally sensitive care. By promoting and funding culturally and linguistically sensitive practices by healthcare professionals, the legislature can help to enhance the quality of healthcare services in underserved communities. This legislation will play a crucial role in ending statewide health disparities among minority populations.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Recorded votes

  • Vote: Floor vote

    NY SenateJun 1, 2026Result: passed

    (37) (23) (0) (3)

  • Vote: Committee vote · Rules

    Senate RulesMay 28, 2026Result: passed

    (15) (6) (0) (0)

  • Vote: Floor vote

    NY SenateJun 4, 2025Result: passed

    (34) (24) (0) (5)

  • Vote: Committee vote · Rules

    Senate RulesMay 29, 2025Result: passed

    (14) (6) (0) (1)

Full history

  1. Jun 1, 2026

    Sent to the executive

    DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY

    NY Senate

  2. Jun 1, 2026

    Passed a chamber

    PASSED SENATE

    NY Senate

  3. Jun 1, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION

    NY Assembly

  4. May 28, 2026

    In committee

    COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES

    NY Senate

  5. May 28, 2026

    Ordered to Third Reading CAL.1339

    ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.1339

    NY Senate

Show full history (10 earlier events)
  1. Jan 7, 2026

    Died in Assembly

    DIED IN ASSEMBLY

    NY Assembly

  2. Jan 7, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION

    NY Assembly

  3. Jan 7, 2026

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION

    NY Senate

  4. Jun 4, 2025

    Sent to the executive

    DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY

    NY Senate

  5. Jun 4, 2025

    Passed a chamber

    PASSED SENATE

    NY Senate

  6. Jun 4, 2025

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION

    NY Assembly

  7. May 29, 2025

    In committee

    COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES

    NY Senate

  8. May 29, 2025

    Ordered to Third Reading CAL.1464

    ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.1464

    NY Senate

  9. Jan 8, 2025

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION

    NY Assembly

  10. Jan 8, 2025

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION

    NY Senate

Read the record