The Washington Senate on Friday
approved a bill that seeks to ban therapies that attempt to alter the
sexual orientation or gender identity of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender youth.
Such therapies go by names such as
“conversion therapy,” “reparative therapy” or “ex-gay
therapy.”
Senators approved Senate Bill 5722 on a
32-16 vote, the AP reported. It now heads to the House. Democrats
hold a narrow 2-seat majority in the House.
“The legislature finds and declares
that Washington has a compelling interest in protecting the physical
and psychological well-being of minors, including lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender youth, and in protecting its minors against
exposure to serious harms caused by conversion therapy,” the bill
states.
Under provisions of the bill,
therapists who violate the law face fines and the possible revocation
or suspension of their license.
States which have enacted such bans
include Connecticut, California, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon,
Illinois, Vermont, New York, Rhode Island and New Mexico. Earlier
this month, the
New Hampshire House narrowly killed such a bill. An increasing
number of local municipalities have also enacted similar protections,
particularly in Florida.
(Related: Florida:
Broward County bans “ex-gay” therapy to youth.)