Jeff Clemens files Senate version of “conversion therapy” ban
State Sen. Jeff Clemens

JeffClemens

State Sen. Jeff Clemens on Friday filed a Senate companion bill (SB 258) to a piece of House legislation that aims to outlaw sexual conversion therapy on patients under 18.

Conversion therapy generally refers to a course of treatment, including talk therapy, to change one’s orientation from homosexual to heterosexual.

Last Thursday, state Rep. David Richardson, a Miami Beach Democrat, filed his bill (HB 137). Richardson is Florida’s only openly gay lawmaker.

Clemens is a Lake Worth Democrat. He was not available by telephone Friday morning.

The legislation would forbid anyone who does “professional counseling” to use conversion therapy on minors.

Both bills cover medical practitioners, osteopathic practitioners, psychologists, psychotherapists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and mental health counselors.

Anyone who breaks the proposed law could be subject to discipline by the state board that regulates the practitioner’s corresponding profession.

As reported previously, similar laws have been enacted in California, Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon and the District of Columbia, according to the Movement Advancement Project, which bills itself as an independent LGBT think tank.

Conversion therapy has been contentious in recent years, decried by gay advocates as harmful brainwashing, especially when used on teens.

Proponents say those who want to switch their sexual orientation should be allowed to try, and some conversion therapy patients have said it works and they’re happier being straight.

But the American Psychological Association has concluded “there is insufficient evidence to support the use of psychological interventions to change sexual orientation.”

Jim Rosica

Jim Rosica is the Tallahassee-based Senior Editor for Florida Politics. He previously was the Tampa Tribune’s statehouse reporter. Before that, he covered three legislative sessions in Florida for The Associated Press. Jim graduated from law school in 2009 after spending nearly a decade covering courts for the Tallahassee Democrat, including reporting on the 2000 presidential recount. He can be reached at [email protected].



#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, William March, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Jesse Scheckner, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704