Utah Governor Gary Herbert, a
Republican, has directed the Psychologist Licensing Board to draft
rules to regulate therapies that attempt to alter the sexual
orientation or gender identity of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender people.
Such therapies go by names such as
“conversion therapy,” “reparative therapy,” “sexual
orientation change efforts” or “ex-gay therapy.”
“We're going to turn this to the
licensing people,” Herbert said during his monthly news conference
last week. “They'll use the best available science. They'll have
the opportunity to see what works, what doesn't work. What should be
done. What shouldn't be done.”
CNN reported that the board agreed to
draft rules to apply to minors and adults. It also said that its
rules would be as “broad” and “comprehensive” as possible.
Herbert acted after lawmakers failed to
approve a bill that sought to prohibit conversion therapy for minors.
Similar bans that apply only to minors
have been enacted in 17 states plus the District of Columbia,
including Colorado, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii,
Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire,
New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont.
(Related: Puerto
Rico governor signs order banning “ex-gay” therapy.)