Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown is leading a group of 19 states and the District of Columbia in supporting Michigan’s law that bans conversion "therapy" for minors. The law is being reviewed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The law prevents licensed health professionals from using conversion "therapy," which tries to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The group argues that states have the right to set and enforce professional standards of care and that the First Amendment does not protect practices that may harm young people, as reported by the Washington State Attorney General's Office.
Major medical and mental health organizations, including the American Medical Association, American Psychological Association, and American Psychiatric Association, do not support conversion therapy. An amicus brief explains why a court should reject arguments against Michigan’s ban on the practice. It states that the First Amendment does not protect harmful or unproven mental health treatments and does not allow licensed professionals to provide care below accepted standards, according to the Washington State Attorney General's Office.
The U.S. Supreme Court will review a case this fall challenging Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy. The decision could affect similar laws in other states. Washington enacted its own ban in 2018 with SB 5722. In 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld Washington’s law, and the Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal. Washington, along with 19 other states and the District of Columbia, filed an amicus brief supporting Colorado’s law. “The Washington Attorney General’s Office will fight to ensure no young person is subject to dangerous and discredited conversion therapy practices,” the brief states. The document is available on the Washington State Attorney General's Office website.
