On Thursday, Oregon House Bill (HB) 2307, which prohibits the practice of so-called “conversion therapy” for minors, passed in the state Senate with a 21-8 vote. The “bill for an act relating to efforts to change an individual’s orientation” will now be sent to Governor Kate Brown, who is expected to sign it into law.
ACA has been advocating for the passage of HB 2307 for the past several months. In February, ACA CEO Richard Yep submitted written testimony for the House Health Care Committee, and at the end of April, ACA Past President and Professor Emeritus Dr. Brooke Collison testified in person before the Senate Health Care Committee and submitted written testimony as well. The success on this legislative matter would not have been possible without ACA’s members in Oregon, who reached out to their representatives in the Oregon legislature and encouraged them to vote for this very important bill.
ACA has been active in advocating for bans on “conversion therapy” around the country. The use of “conversion therapy” is known to have devastating consequences on those who are subjected to it, and its practice is in violation of ACA’s Code of Ethics. By definition, “conversion therapy” is not a form of therapy at all, since sexual orientation is not a qualification for a mental defect.
Similar bills are still being deliberated in various other state legislatures, including New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Iowa. ACA will continue to support these efforts and we hope that other states will soon follow the path of California, New Jersey, Washington D.C., and now, Oregon.