Text of MA H 3907 (2014)

HOUSE . . . . . . . No. 3907 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ______________________________________ HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, February 24, 2014. The committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities to whom were referred the petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 154) of Carl M. Sciortino, Jr. and others relative to the protection of the mental and physical health of minors from sexual orientation and/or gender identity change efforts, reports recommending that the accompanying bill (House, No. 3907) ought to pass. For the committee, KAY KHAN. HOUSE DOCKET, NO. FILED ON: 2/20/2014 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3907 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts _______________ In the Year Two Thousand Fourteen _______________ An Act relative to abusive practices to change sexual orientation and gender identity in minors. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: 1 SECTION 1. Chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official 2 addition, is hereby amended by adding following new section:- 3 Section 264. (a) Definitions. 4 For the purposes of this section, “licensed professional” means any licensed medical, 5 mental health, or human service professional licensed under Chapter 112, including any 6 psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker, psychiatric nurse, allied mental health and human 7 services professional, licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed rehabilitation counselor, 8 licensed mental health counselor, licensed educational psychologist, or any of their respective 9 interns or trainees, or any other person designated or licensed as a mental health or human 10 service professional under Massachusetts law or regulation. 11 “Sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts” means any practice by a licensed 12 professional that seeks or purports to impose change of an individual’s sexual orientation or 13 gender identity. Such term-- 14 (1) Includes practices 15 (A) to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. 16 (2) Does not include practices 17 (A) to provide acceptance, support, and understanding of an individual’s sexual 18 orientation, gender identity, or gender expression and the facilitation of an individual’s coping, 19 social support, and identity exploration and development, including interventions to prevent or 20 address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices. 21 (b) Under no circumstances shall a licensed professional advertise for or engage in sexual 22 orientation and gender identity change efforts with a patient less than 18 years of age. Any 23 licensed professional violating this prohibition shall be such subject to discipline by the board, 24 which may include suspension or revocation of license. 25 (c) Whoever violates this section shall be considered to have violated section 2 of chapter 26 93A. 27 SECTION 2. (a) Subsection (a) of Section 51A of chapter 119 of the General Laws, as 28 appearing in the 2010 Official addition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “chapter 29 233” the following words:- 30 or (vi) being subjected to sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts as defined 31 by section 169 of chapter 112 32 (b) Section 51A of chapter 119 is further amended in subsection (i) after the word 33 “family.” by adding the following words:- 34 Any report including licensed professionals engaging in sexual orientation and gender 35 identity change efforts as defined under section 169 of chapter 112 shall be filed within 30 days 36 to the appropriate licensing board for review and possible suspension or revocation of license.