A bill that seeks to prohibit therapies
that attempt to alter the sexual orientation or gender identity of
lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender youth cleared its last
procedural vote through the Maine Senate on Tuesday.
Such therapies go by names such as
“conversion therapy,” “reparative therapy,” “sexual
orientation change efforts” or “ex-gay therapy.”
The bill, LD 1025, cleared the House
and Senate earlier this month. Tuesday's vote in the Senate sends the
legislation to Governor Janet Mills' desk. Mills has signaled her
support for the bill.
The bill was introduced by
Representative Ryan Fecteau, an openly gay Democrat from Biddeford,
and Senator Linda Sanborn, a Democrat from Gorham.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the
nation's largest LGBT rights advocate, cheered the bill's passage in
the legislature.
“All children deserve to live
authentically and free from the serious harms of so-called
‘conversion therapy,’” Xavier Persad, senior legislative
counsel at the Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement. “We
thank the Maine State Legislature, EqualityMaine and Rep. Ryan
Fecteau for their leadership in taking these crucial steps to enact
protections for Maine’s LGBTQ youth against this dangerous
practice. We look forward to Governor Mills signing these protections
into law and Maine joining the growing number of jurisdictions with
similar protections.”
Fifteen states plus the District of
Columbia have similar laws. Colorado lawmakers recently approved a
similar bill and Governor Jared Polis is expected to sign it into
law.
(Related: Puerto
Rico governor signs order banning “ex-gay” therapy.)