SPRINGFIELD, IL (Chambana Today) – A new measure aimed at reducing racial disparities in maternal health care is headed to Governor JB Pritzker’s desk after receiving final approval in the Illinois Senate this week.

House Bill 2517 would require all maternal health care providers to complete one hour of implicit bias training as part of their state license renewal process starting in July 2026. The Senate passed the bill on a 44-12 vote on Wednesday after it was approved in the House last month, 82-29.

The legislation comes in response to alarming maternal mortality statistics, particularly for Black women. According to the CDC, Black women in the U.S. died at a rate of 50.3 per 100,000 live births in 2023—more than triple the rate for white women. Illinois mirrors this trend, as outlined in the state’s 2023 Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Report.

“As a country, the United States is the most dangerous place to give birth in the developed world—and it’s three times as dangerous for Black people,” said Kelly Hubbard, director of policy and advocacy at EverThrive Illinois, which supported the bill.

The required training would educate health care professionals on the history of racial disparities in medicine and the importance of listening to patients’ concerns, particularly those from marginalized communities. The law allows this training to count toward continuing education credits.

Supporters, including Rep. Lisa Davis (D-Chicago) and Sen. Willie Preston (D-Chicago), say the bill is a necessary step toward improving care and restoring trust in a system that has too often failed Black mothers.

“There’s a historical mistrust rooted in how Black patients have been treated—or ignored—in medical settings,” said Davis, who shared her own traumatic birth experience during House floor debate. “When it comes to Black moms, generalizations and assumptions can have lethal consequences.”

The training curriculum will be developed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), which oversees licensing. Advocates are urging the department to involve community organizations in the design process to ensure the material reflects the lived experiences of patients.

“This bill doesn’t ask for a heavy lift,” Sen. Preston said. “It asks for awareness. It asks for education. It asks us to listen.”

Gov. Pritzker is expected to sign the bill in the coming weeks. If enacted, it would make Illinois one of the few states with such a requirement in place.