Utah Governor Gary Herbert, a Republican, has directed the Psychologist Licensing Board to draft rules to regulate therapies that attempt to alter the sexual orientation or gender identity of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Such therapies go by names such as “conversion therapy,” “reparative therapy,” “sexual orientation change efforts” or “ex-gay therapy.”

“We're going to turn this to the licensing people,” Herbert said during his monthly news conference last week. “They'll use the best available science. They'll have the opportunity to see what works, what doesn't work. What should be done. What shouldn't be done.”

CNN reported that the board agreed to draft rules to apply to minors and adults. It also said that its rules would be as “broad” and “comprehensive” as possible.

Herbert acted after lawmakers failed to approve a bill that sought to prohibit conversion therapy for minors.

Similar bans that apply only to minors have been enacted in 17 states plus the District of Columbia, including Colorado, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont.

(Related: Puerto Rico governor signs order banning “ex-gay” therapy.)