Tennessee lawmakers have approved a
controversial bill that would allow mental health therapists and
counselors to turn away LGBT patients.
The Republican-controlled Senate voted
25-6 in favor of the measure on Monday, following passage last week
in the GOP-led House.
Republican Governor Bill Haslam has not
said whether he will sign the bill into law. Once it reaches his
desk, he has 10 day to decide.
The bill states that counselors can
refuse to treat clients based on their “sincerely held principles,”
a change from the bill's original language of “sincerely held
religious belief.”
Opponents say the measure could
negatively impact young LGBT people.
Tennessee lawmakers are also
considering legislation that would outlaw transgender people from
accessing the bathroom that matches the gender they identify with.
(Related: Miley
Cyrus, Emmylou Harris, Chely Wright, Ty Herndon condemn Tennessee
transgender bills.)