Maine is looking for a gubernatorial candidate this fall that will ban this practice after current Governor Paul LePage (R) became the first in the country to veto a ban on conversion therapy last month.
“The bill is good public policy,” said Mary Bonauto, an attorney at GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders. “[And] the accurate interpretation of the bill is that the State does not have to license harmful practices and should not do so. Parents can teach the value they wish at home, but parental rights and belief do not extend so far as to force the state to allow state-licensed counselors to provide something that we know is harmful and ineffective.”
It is estimated that 698,000 LGBT adults (ages 18–59) in the U.S. have received conversion therapy, including about 350,000 LGBT adults who received treatment as adolescents, as reported by the William Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. See at list below of the 13 states that have banned conversion therapy for minors in order of effective date.
1. New Jersey
Date Enacted: August 19, 2013
Date Effective: August 19, 2013
On June 24, 2013 the New Jersey Assembly voted 56-14 in favor of AB 3371. On June 27, 2013, the New Jersey State Senate voted 28-9 to pass the bill. On August 19, 2013, Governor Chris Christie (R) signed AB 3371 into law, and it took effect the same day.
2. California
Date Enacted: September 30, 2012
Date Effective: August 29, 2013
On May 30, 2012, the California State Senate voted 23–13 in favor of SB-1172. On August 28, 2012, the California State Assembly voted 52–22 in favor of the bill. On September 30, 2012, Governor Jerry Brown (D) signed it and it was scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2013. On December 21, 2012, in the case of Welch v. Brown, Judge William B. Shubb granted a preliminary injunction to SB-1172 from going into effect. On August 29, 2013, in the case of Pickup v. Brown and Welch v. Brown, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld SB-1172 and reversed the lower court order granting a preliminary injunction.
3. Oregon
Date Enacted: May 18, 2015
Date Effective: May 18, 2015
On March 17, 2015, the Oregon House of Representatives voted 41–18 in favor of HB 2307. On May 7, 2015, the Oregon State Senate voted 21–8 in favor of the bill. On May 18, 2015, Governor Kate Brown (D) signed HB 2307 and it went into effect the same day.
4. Illinois
Date Enacted: August 20, 2015
Date Effective:January 1, 2016
On May 19, 2015, the Illinois House of Representatives voted 68–43 in favor of HB 217. On May 29, 2015, the Illinois State Senate voted 34–19 in favor of the bill. On August 20, 2015, Governor Bruce Rauner (R) signed HB 217 and it went into effect on January 1, 2016.
5. Vermont
Date Enacted: May 25, 2016
Date Effective: July 1, 2016
On March 17, 2016, the Vermont Senate unanimously approved S.132. On April 26, the Vermont House of Representatives approved it with amendments. The Senate concurred with the amendments on April 29. Governor Peter Shumlin (D) signed the bill on May 25. It went into effect on July 1.
6. New Mexico
Date Enacted: April 7, 2017
Date Effective: April 7, 2017
The state Senate approved SB 121 on February 16, 2017 by a 32–6 vote, and the state House of Representatives concurred on March 15, 2017 by a 44–23 vote. The bill was signed by Governor Susana Martinez (R) on April 7, 2017. The law went into effect immediately.
7. Connecticut
Date Enacted: May 10, 2017
Date Effective: May 10, 2017
The state House of Representatives approved HB 6695 on May 2, 2017 by a 141–8 vote, and the Senate concurred on May 10, 2017 by a 36–0 vote. The bill was signed by Governor Dannel Malloy (D) the same day and took effect immediately.
8. Rhode Island
Date Enacted: July 19, 2017
Date Effective: July 19, 2017
H 5277 was passed by the state House 69–0 on May 30, 2017. The Senate approved the bill 29–0 on June 30. It was signed by Governor Gina Raimondo (D) on July 19, 2017 and took effect immediately.
9. Nevada
Date Enacted: May 17, 2017
Date Effective: January 1, 2018
SB 201 was passed by the state Senate 15–5 on April 4, 2017 and by the Assembly 31–8 on May 9. The Senate concurred with the House’s amendments on the same day. The bill was signed by Governor Brian Sandoval (R) on May 17, 2017. The law went into effect on January 1, 2018.
Washington
Date Enacted: March 28, 2018
Date Effective: June 7, 2018
SB 5722[38] passed the state Senate 32-16 on January 19, 2018 and the state House 66-32 on February 28. After the Senate concurred with the amended House version on March 3, it was signed by Governor Jay Inslee (D) on March 28, 2018.[39][40] It took effect on June 7, 2018.
10. Hawaii
Date Enacted: May 25, 2018
Date Effective: July 1, 2018
SB 270 passed the state Senate on March 6, 2018, by a vote of 24-1 and passed the state House of Representatives on April 10, 2018, by a vote of 49-2. A conference committee of both houses concluded on April 27, 2018 with an amended bill. It was approved by both houses on May 1, and was signed by Governor David Ige (D) on May 25, 2018. The law took effect on July 1, 2018.
11. Delaware
Date Enacted: July 23, 2018
Date Effective: July 23, 2018
SB 65 passed the state Senate by a vote of 12-3 on May 17, 2017, and the state House on June 7, 2018 by a vote of 24-14.[45] The bill was signed by Governor John Carney (D) on July 23, 2018, and took effect immediately.
12. Maryland
Date Enacted: May 15, 2018
Date Effective: October 1, 2018
SB 1028 passed the state Senate on March 27, 2018, by a vote of 34-12, and the state House on April 4, 2018, by a vote of 95-27. The bill was signed by Governor Larry Hogan (R) on May 15, 2018, and will take effect on October 1, 2018.
13. New Hampshire
Date Enacted: June 8, 2018
Date Effective: January 1, 2019
HB 587 passed the state House on February 8, 2018, by a vote of 179-171, and the state Senate on April 19, 2018, by a vote of 14-10, with an amendment. The House concurred with the Senate’s amendment on May 10, 2018. It was signed by Governor Chris Sununu (R) on June 8, 2018 and will take effect on January 1, 2019.
