Bill would ban sexual conversion therapy for minors

CARSON CITY — A bill that would prohibit therapists from counseling gay juveniles to convince them to change their sexual preference gained strong support in a Senate committee today.

The Senate Commerce, Labor and Energy Committee heard testimony that sexual conversion therapy can lead to suicides and trauma.

Sen. David Parks, D-Las Vegas, said the therapy does not work. It’s an “unscientific and unethical practice,” said Parks, the sponsor of SB 353.

Therapist Ronald Lawrence compared the practice to human torture and said minors who underwent conversion therapy have similar symptoms to people with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Committee Chairman Sen. James Settelmeyer called the therapy “barbaric.”

The proposed bill states, “A psychotherapist shall not provide any sexual orientation conversion therapy to a person who is under 18 years of age regardless of the willingness of the person or his or her parent or legal guardian...”

It permits a person subjected to the therapy to sue for damages, costs and attorney fees.

The committee took no action on the bill.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.