Text of IL HB 5569 (2014)

98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2013 and 2014 HB5569 Introduced , by Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: New Act Creates the Conversion Therapy Prohibition Act. Defines "mental health provider" and "sexual orientation change efforts". Provides that no mental health provider shall engage in sexual orientation change efforts with a person under the age of 18. Further provides that any sexual orientation change effort attempted on a person under the age of 18 by a mental health provider shall be considered unprofessional conduct and that a mental health provider found to have engaged in a sexual orientation change effort shall be disciplined by the licensing entity or disciplinary review board with competent jurisdiction. LRB098 18589 ZMM 53730 b A BILL FOR HB5569LRB098 18589 ZMM 53730 b 1 AN ACT concerning regulation. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 5Conversion Therapy Prohibition Act. 6 Section 5. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to prohibit 7the use of sexual orientation change efforts, also known as 8conversion therapy, by mental health providers licensed by or 9practicing in the State of Illinois 10 Section 10. Definitions. For the purposes of this Act: 11 "Mental health provider" means a clinical psychologist 12licensed under the Clinical Psychology Licensing Act; a school 13psychologist as defined in the School Code; a psychiatrist as 14defined in Section 1-121 of the Mental Health and Developmental 15Disabilities Code; a clinical social worker or social worker 16licensed under the Clinical Social Work and Social Work 17Practice Act; a marriage and family therapist or associate 18marriage and family therapist licensed under the Marriage and 19Family Therapy Licensing Act; a professional counselor or 20clinical professional counselor licensed under the 21Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor 22Licensing and Practice Act; or any students, interns, HB5569- 2 -LRB098 18589 ZMM 53730 b 1volunteers, or other persons assisting or acting under the 2direction or guidance of any of these licensed professionals. 3 "Sexual orientation change efforts" or "conversion 4therapy" means any practices or treatments that seek to change 5an individual's sexual orientation, including efforts to 6change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or 7reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings towards 8individuals of the same sex. "Sexual orientation change 9efforts" or "conversion therapy" does not include counseling or 10mental health services that provide acceptance, support, and 11understanding of a person without seeking to change sexual 12persuasion or orientation or mental health services that 13facilitate a person's coping, social support, and gender 14identity exploration and development, including sexual 15persuasion neutral interventions to prevent or address 16unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices, without seeking to 17change sexual persuasion or orientation. 18 Section 15. Prohibition on conversion therapy. Under no 19circumstances shall a mental health provider engage in sexual 20orientation change efforts with a person under the age of 18. 21 Section 20. Discipline. Any sexual orientation change 22effort attempted on a person under the age of 18 by a mental 23health provider shall be considered unprofessional conduct. 24Mental health providers found to have engaged in a sexual HB5569- 3 -LRB098 18589 ZMM 53730 b 1orientation change effort shall be disciplined by the licensing 2entity or disciplinary review board with competent 3jurisdiction.