1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to health; prohibiting conversion therapy with children or vulnerable adults;
1.3 prohibiting medical assistance coverage for conversion therapy; prohibiting the
1.4 misrepresentation of conversion therapy services or products;amending Minnesota
1.5 Statutes 2022, sections 256B.0625, by adding a subdivision; 325F.69, by adding
1.6 a subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 214.
1.7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.8 Section 1. [214.078] PROTECTION FROM CONVERSION THERAPY.
1.9 Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) "Client" for purposes of this section means a person
1.10 requesting or receiving services from a mental health practitioner or mental health
1.11 professional within the context of a relationship that a reasonable person would construe
1.12 as a professional relationship. A client may include a child, adolescent, adult, couple, family,
1.13 group, organization, community, or other entity.
1.14 (b) "Conversion therapy" means any practice by a mental health practitioner as defined
1.15 in section 245I.02, subdivision 26, or mental health professional as defined in section
1.16 245I.02, subdivision 27, that seeks to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender
1.17 identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or
1.18 reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender.
1.19 Conversion therapy does not include counseling, practice, or treatment that provides
1.20 assistance to an individual undergoing gender transition, or counseling, practice, or treatment
1.21 that provides acceptance, support, and understanding of an individual or facilitates an
1.22 individual's coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, including
1.23 sexual-orientation-neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe
2.1 sexual practices, as long as the counseling, practice, or treatment does not seek to change
2.2 an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity.
2.3 Subd. 2.Prohibition. (a) No mental health practitioner or mental health professional
2.4 shall engage in conversion therapy with a client younger than 18 years of age or with a
2.5 client who is a vulnerable adult as defined in section 626.5572, subdivision 21.
2.6 (b) Conversion therapy attempted by a mental health practitioner or mental health
2.7 professional with a client younger than 18 years of age or with a client who is a vulnerable
2.8 adult shall be considered unprofessional conduct that may subject the mental health
2.9 practitioner or mental health professional to disciplinary action by the licensing board of
2.10 the mental health practitioner or mental health professional.
2.11 EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.
2.12 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 256B.0625, is amended by adding a subdivision
2.13 to read:
2.14 Subd. 5n.Conversion therapy. Medical assistance does not cover conversion therapy
2.15 as defined in section 214.078, subdivision 1.
2.16 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 325F.69, is amended by adding a subdivision to
2.17 read:
2.18 Subd. 7.Advertisement and sales; misrepresentation of conversion therapy. (a) For
2.19 purposes of this subdivision, "conversion therapy" means services or products that are
2.20 intended to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts
2.21 to change behaviors and gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic
2.22 attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender.
2.23 (b) No person or entity shall, while conducting any trade or commerce, use or employ
2.24 any fraud, false pretense, false promise, false guarantee, misrepresentation, false or
2.25 misleading statements, or deceptive practice by advertising or otherwise offering conversion
2.26 therapy services that could reasonably be interpreted or inferred as representing
2.27 homosexuality as a mental disease, disorder, or illness, or guaranteeing to change an
2.28 individual's sexual orientation or gender identity.
