Washington State sends bill to ban gay ‘cure’ therapy on kids to Governor for approval
ARLINGTON, WA – MARCH 23: Washington Governor Jay Inslee addresses the media during a press conference after a deadly mudslide on March 23, 2014 in Arlington, Washington. Four people have been confirmed dead and at least 18 others are still missing after a massive mudslide in Oso, Washington. (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images)
Washington State has sent a bill which would ban the widely condemned pracice of gay ‘cure’ therapy on minors, to the Governor’s office for final approval.
Performing gay cure therapy on minors is already is illegal in nine US states and counting, as well as Switzerland, Malta, Taiwan, two Canadian provinces, and the Australian state of Victoria.
It is still technically legal in the UK.
Washington state this week became the latest to pass legislation in both Houses, and it will now go to the Governor’s office for final approval.
Governor Jay Inslee has been urged to sign SB 5722 into law.
If signed into law by Inslee, Washington State will be the tenth state in the US to explicitly ban the practice for minors.
The legislation was celebrated by the Human Rights Campaign.
“Children across the Evergreen State deserve to live their lives authentically and should never be subjected to the abusive practice of so-called conversion therapy,” said HRC Senior Vice President for Policy and Political Affairs JoDee Winterhof.
“It’s time for Washington to join the growing number of states and municipalities who are enacting these critical protections. We thank the state legislators who voted to protect LGBTQ youth from this dangerous practice and now call on Governor Inslee to sign this crucially important legislation.”
A bill was introduced in California last month which would see practitioners of debunked gay ‘cure’ therapies prosecuted for consumer fraud.
Out lawmaker Evan Low, who sits on the state’s Legislative Assembly, drew up AB-2943, known as the Unlawful business practices: sexual orientation change efforts bill.
The bill would build on the existing consumer protection law to introduce a possible conviction under state law for gay ‘cure’ practitioners.
The UK government recently said it would consider banning gay ‘cure’ therapy.
And earlier this week the European Parliament overwhelmingly voted to condemn gay ‘cure’ therapy and urged member countries to ban the harmful practice.
