Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner (R) signed a bill on Thursday that would ban therapy to convert a minor's sexual orientation, also known as "gay conversion therapy" or "reparative therapy."
Therapists licensed by the state who are found providing such a service to an individual under the age of 18 will be subject to "discipline by the licensing entity or disciplinary review board with competent jurisdiction," meaning that the therapist's license will be reconsidered and may be subject to being revoked, depending on the decision of the "licensing entity" or the "disciplinary review board."
"These so-called 'therapies' treat homosexuality as a disease," said Senator Daniel Biss (D-Evanston), a co-sponsor of the bill. "They're out of date and can be deeply destructive to youth. Outlawing these practices is a small step in our pursuit for LGBT rights, but it's an extremely important step in protecting young people in Illinois."
This makes Illinois the fourth state to pass such a law, following California, New Jersey, Oregon, and the District of Columbia.
However, Illinois' HB 217 is slightly different from the other states' legislation in that it likens the advertisement of such therapy to consumer fraud. The bill text states that therapists may not use language that "represents homosexuality as a mental disease, disorder, or illness" in their advertisements.
"Our version of this legislation is the most comprehensive bill in the nation, barring health providers from engaging in this practice and affording survivors access to consumer fraud action against the perpetrators of this abuse," said Illinois Representative Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) who is openly gay.
Opponents of the bill argue that the government is overstepping its boundaries into private matters that should be kept in the confines of discussion between the family and the therapists.
"Governor Rauner signed HB 217, expanding the role of the government into private family counseling sessions, CENSORING what professional therapists can say to needy children who suffer from unwanted same-sex attraction," said the Illinois Family Institute on its Facebook page.
Before reaching the governor, the bill passed the House with 68 votes in favor of the bill, 43 against, and 2 abstaining. 34 in the Senate voted in favor of the bill, 19 voted against it, and 6 abstained.
The bill was introduced by Representative Kelly Cassidy in January of 2015.
