Bill Text: FL S0084 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Conversion Therapy

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)

Status: (Failed) 2019-05-03 - Died in Health Policy [S0084 Detail]

Download: Florida-2019-S0084-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2019                                      SB 84
       
       
        
       By Senator Rodriguez
       
       
       
       
       
       37-00310-19                                             201984__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to conversion therapy; creating s.
    3         456.064, F.S.; defining the term “conversion therapy”;
    4         prohibiting a person who is licensed to provide
    5         professional counseling or a practitioner who is
    6         licensed under provisions regulating the practice of
    7         medicine, osteopathic medicine, psychology, clinical
    8         social work, marriage and family therapy, or mental
    9         health counseling from practicing or performing
   10         conversion therapy for an individual who is younger
   11         than a specified age; providing that such licensee or
   12         practitioner is subject to disciplinary proceedings by
   13         the Department of Health and the appropriate board
   14         under certain circumstances; providing an effective
   15         date.
   16          
   17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   18  
   19         Section 1. Section 456.064, Florida Statutes, is created to
   20  read:
   21         456.064 Conversion therapy.—
   22         (1) As used in this section, the term “conversion therapy”
   23  means any practice or treatment performed with the goal of
   24  changing an individual’s sexual orientation, including, but not
   25  limited to, efforts to change behavior, gender identity, or
   26  gender expression, or to reduce or eliminate sexual or romantic
   27  attraction or feelings toward a person of the same gender. The
   28  term does not include professional counseling that provides:
   29         (a) Support to an individual actively undergoing gender
   30  transition; or
   31         (b) Acceptance, support, and understanding of an individual
   32  or that facilitates an individual’s coping, social support, and
   33  identity exploration and development, including sexual
   34  orientation-neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful
   35  conduct or unsafe sexual practices, provided that the goal of
   36  such support is not to change the individual’s sexual
   37  orientation or gender identity.
   38         (2) A person who is licensed to provide professional
   39  counseling or who provides counseling as part of his or her
   40  professional practice under chapter 458, chapter 459, chapter
   41  490, or chapter 491, including, but not limited to, a medical
   42  practitioner, osteopathic physician, psychologist,
   43  psychotherapist, clinical social worker, marriage and family
   44  therapist, or mental health counselor, may not practice or
   45  perform conversion therapy for an individual younger than 18
   46  years of age. Any such licensed professional who practices or
   47  performs or attempts to practice or perform conversion therapy
   48  for an individual younger than 18 years of age engages in
   49  unprofessional conduct and is subject to disciplinary
   50  proceedings by the department and the appropriate board.
   51         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.