SALT LAKE CITY — The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling overturning Colorado's ban on "conversion therapy" for LGBTQ people will impact numerous states, but not likely Utah.
That's according to the LGBTQ rights group Equality Utah, which told FOX 13 News on Tuesday that it negotiated a "viewpoint neutral" law with the Republican-supermajority Utah State Legislature back in 2023 that may withstand legal scrutiny.
In an 8-1 ruling on Tuesday, the nation's top court sided with a Christian counselor who argues Colorado's law banning talk therapy violates the First Amendment. The justices agreed that the law raises free speech concerns and sent it back to a lower court to decide if it meets a legal standard that few laws pass.
"Conversion therapy" is a practice that attempts to change someone's sexual orientation or gender identity that has been scientifically discredited and is considered harmful.
Supreme Court rules against Colorado ‘conversion therapy’ ban for LGBTQ kids:
"While most of these state laws rely on similar language to the now-invalidated Colorado statute, Utah took a different approach. Equality Utah worked in collaboration with Republican lawmakers and other stakeholders to develop alternative language designed to balance the free speech rights of licensed therapists with the need to protect minors from harmful and discredited medical practices. Utah’s law was passed unanimously by the legislature and signed by the Governor in 2023," Equality Utah policy director Marina Lowe said in a text message to FOX 13 News.
"Although we are still reviewing the Court’s decision, we remain optimistic that Utah’s law would withstand legal scrutiny. Because Utah chose not to adopt copycat legislation and instead enacted a viewpoint-neutral framework, we believe it is well-positioned to remain in force following today’s ruling."
Utah's Department of Commerce, which oversees licensing for mental health therapists, told FOX 13 News it was reviewing the ruling.
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Contributing: The Associated Press, Scripps News Group
