Sandoval signs Nevada senate bill that prohibits 'gender conversion therapy' for minors
Submitted by editor on Wed, 05/17/2017 - 11:32am
CARSON CITY — Governor Brian Sandoval on Wednesday signed Senate Bill 201, a measure that prohibits the practice of “gender conversion therapy” in Nevada.
Under SB201, it is illegal for any licensed medical or mental health care provider to provide sexual orientation or gender conversion therapy to anyone under 18 years of age.
“Conversion therapy has been disavowed by medical experts and is considered a non-effective method of treatment that can cause harm to an adolescent. This law will help protect some of our state’s most vulnerable youth,” said Governor Brian Sandoval. “I would like to express my gratitude to Senator David Parks for sponsoring this bill and working to clarify that this bill will not interfere with religious liberties or rights of conscience.”
The bill was amended in the Assembly to include language specifying the legislative intent behind the bill with regard to religious counseling or faith-based speech.
The legislative digest clarifies that there is nothing in this bill that regulates or prohibits licensed health care professionals from engaging in expressive speech or religious counseling with minors if the licensed health care professionals are acting in their pastoral or religious capacity and do not hold themselves out as operating pursuant to their professional licenses when acting as members of the clergy or as religious counselors.
