Medical field needs more training like cultural competency, not less, Nevada lawmakers argue
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A proposal to encourage — not require — medical practitioners to get training in subjects ranging from suicide prevention to cultural competency drew an extremely cold reaction from lawmakers on Monday.
'Offensive' is the word members of the Assembly Committee on Commerce and Labor used to describe Assembly Bill 56 (AB56).
Presented as a way to simplify and streamline ongoing training requirements for doctors, physician assistants and anesthesiology assistants, AB56 is a collaboration of Nevada's boards for medical examiners and osteopathic medicine. Sarah Bradley, executive director of the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners, gave lawmakers a summary of how the bill would reward medical professionals by giving them double-credit. But they were having none of her explanation.
Democratic Assemblymember Daniele Monroe-Moreno said if the medical community was taking the training as required, there would be no need to look for ways to encourage it.
'When you say encourage, encourage, encourage … if the physicians and the occupations that this bill refers to were already taking the courses that this body required them to take, you wouldn't have to encourage them to do it,' Monroe-Moreno said. Constituents informed lawmakers of the medical profession's failures, she said.
A letter from the Nevada State Medical Association also expressed concern about fee adjustments proposed in AB56. The bill seeks a change from license renewal every year to a biennial (once every two years) renewal. Because of that change, the license fee would be doubled — at least.
The current $800 cap on licensure fees would grow to $1,200. Bradley said that fee hadn't been adjusted since 1997. The medical association sees that as a possible barrier to bringing in more doctors.
In addition to cultural competency, which had several lawmakers' attention, the currently required training also includes guidance on prescribing opioids, dealing with addictive patients, recognizing suicide risks and other courses related to terrorism and terrorism reporting.
'We have a huge problem in our state. We have a huge opioid addiction problem. Our mental health issues here are out of this world and obviously cultural competency is very, very important in our state,' Committee Chair Elaine Marzola (D-Las Vegas), said.
'So to sit here and read this bill, and it be suggested that we go into an 'encourage' model instead of required, I'm a bit confused,' Marzola said.
Assemblymember Selena Torres-Fossett said the 2023 Legislature agreed not to increase cultural competency training for psychiatrists from four hours to six. She said she regrets that now.
'I'm going to be honest. I think this bill is quite offensive. You're proposing changes that the Legislature has made in the last three sessions, including the elimination of cultural competency.'
When Bradley said the training is directed at some medical personnel who don't see patients, Assemblymember Sandra Jauregui said those employees are 'public-facing' and should get the training that was being targeted in this bill.
Monroe-Moreno suggested that Bradley take AB56 back to the boards and consider changing the language so there could be a better discussion of possibly moving forward on some of the ideas.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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