HB 1322 — Civil Actions for Conversion Therapy Survivors

NOTE:HOUSE BILL 26-1322 BYREPRESENTATIVE(S) ValdezandMcCormick,Bacon,Boesenecker, Brown, Camacho, Carter, Clifford, Duran, Froelich, Garcia, Gilchrist, Goldstein, Hamrick, Joseph, Lieder, Lindsay, Mabrey, Martinez, Mauro, Nguyen, Paschal, Rutinel, Rydin, Sirota, Smith, Stewart K., Stewart R., Story, Titone, Velasco, Willford, Woodrow, Zokaie, McCluskie;

Thisalso billSENATOR(S)CutterandMullica,Amabile, hasBall, beenBenavidez,Bridges, preparedDanielson, forDaugherty, theExum, signaturesGonzales ofJ., theHinrichsen, appropriateKipp, legislativeKolker, officersLindstedt, andRoberts, theSnyder, Governor.Sullivan, Wallace, Weissman, Coleman.

ToCONCERNING determineCIVIL whetherACTIONS theAGAINST GovernorCERTAIN hasINDIVIDUALS signedENGAGING theIN billCONVERSION orTHERAPY takenEFFORTS. other action on it, please consult the legislative status sheet, the legislative history, or the Session Laws.

HOUSEBe BILLit 26-1322enacted BYREPRESENTATIVE(S)ValdezandMcCormick,Bacon,Boesenecker,by Brown,the Camacho,General Carter,Assembly Clifford,ofthe Duran,State Froelich,ofColorado: Garcia, Gilchrist, Goldstein, Hamrick, Joseph, Lieder, Lindsay, Mabrey, Martinez, Mauro, Nguyen, Paschal, Rutinel, Rydin, Sirota, Smith, Stewart K., Stewart R., Story, Titone, Velasco, Willford, Woodrow, Zokaie, McCluskie;

alsoSENATOR(S)CutterandMullica,Amabile,Ball,Benavidez,Bridges, Danielson, Daugherty, Exum, Gonzales J., Hinrichsen, Kipp, Kolker, Lindstedt, Roberts, Snyder, Sullivan, Wallace, Weissman, Coleman.

CONCERNING CIVIL ACTIONS AGAINST CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS ENGAGING IN CONVERSION THERAPY EFFORTS .

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:

(1)(I) The general assembly finds and declares that:

(a) The American Psychological Association, the American PsychiatricAssociation,theAmericanAcademyofPediatrics,theAmerican MedicalAssociation,theAmericanCounselingAssociation,theAmericanMedical Association, the American Counseling Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American School Counselor Association, the National Association of Social Workers, and Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material added to existing law;

dashes through words or numbers indicate deletionsdeletionsfrom from existing law andandsuch such material is notnotpart part of the act.

(b) In2009,theAmericanPsychologicalAssociationTaskForceonIn2009, theAmericanPsychologicalAssociationTaskForce on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed research and concluded that sexual orientation change efforts are unlikely to be successful and involve risk of harm, including depression, suicidality, and anxiety;

(d) The scientific and clinical consensus establishes that sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts pose serious risks ofofharm harm to patients, including depression, guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, shame, socialwithdrawal,suicidality,substanceabuse,stress,self-blame,decreasedsocialwithdrawal, self-esteem,feelingsofangerandbetrayal,lossofreligiousfaith,alienationsuicidality,substanceabuse, stress,self-blame,decreased self-esteem, feelings ofangerand betrayal, loss ofreligiousfaith, alienation from family, problems in sexual and emotional intimacy, sexual dysfunction,high-risksexualbehaviors,feelingsofbeingdehumanized,anddysfunction, high-risksexualbehaviors, feelings ofbeingdehumanized, and a sense ofofhaving having wasted time and resources;

(e) The psychological harm caused by sexual orientation or gender identitychangeeffortsoftendonotmanifestuntilyearsordecadesaftertheidentitychange efforts often do not manifestuntil years ordecades afterthe efforts occurred.

Survivors frequently fail to recognize such treatment as harmfulandfailtoconnecttheirpsychologicalinjuriestothetreatmentuntilharmfulandfail toconnecttheirpsychological injuriestothetreatmentuntil much later in life or are deterred from coming forward by shame instilled by the treatment itself.

(f)(t) The dynamics ofofthe the therapeutic relationship, includingincludingthe trust placed onmental healthprofessionals, the trustage placedonmentalhealthprofessionals,theageandvulnerabilityofpatients,andvulnerability ofpatients, the authority exercised by professionals, and the shame and internalized stigma resulting from such treatment, create barriers to timely disclosure and recognition of harm similar to those recognized by this state in the context ofofchildhood childhood sexual abuse;

(g) The existing statute of limitations for professional negligence PAGE 2-HOUSE BILL 26-1322 does not adequately account for the delayed recognition ofofpsychological psychological injury that is characteristic ofofharm harm caused by sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts;

(h) The psychological harms described in this declaration result from efforts to direct a patient toward a predetermined outcome regarding the patient's sexual orientation or gender identity, regardless ofofthe the nature ofofthat that predetermined outcome;

(i) The general assembly has previously recognized, in enacting Senate Bill 21-073, that survivors ofofsexual sexual misconduct frequently do not recognize orconnecttheirpsychologicalinjuriestotheor connecttheirpsychological injuries to the underlying conduct until well into adulthood and that an extended limitations period is appropriatetoaccountforthisdelayedrecognition.Thesameconsiderationsappropriatetoaccountforthisdelayedrecognition. apply to survivors of sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts.

(j)Thesameconsiderations Itistheintentofthegeneralassemblytoprovideindividualswhoapply sufferto harmsurvivors asofsexual a result of sexual orientation or gender identity change effortsefforts. with adequate time to seek civil remedies for the harms they have suffered.

U)It isthe intentofthegeneral assembly to provide individuals who suffer harm as a result of sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts with adequate time to seek civil remedies for the harms they have suffered.

In Colorado Revised Statutes,Statutes,add add 13-20-1302 as follows:

(1) AAS S USED IN THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE REQUIRESREQUIRES: :

(a) "LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALPROFESSIONAL" " MEANS A MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER WHO HOLDS OR HELD A VALID LICENSELICENSE, ,CERTIFICATION, CERTIFICATION , OR REGISTRATION ISSUED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 245 OF TITLE 12AT THE TIME THE SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY CHANGE EFFORTS OCCURREDOCCURRED. .

(b) (I) "S"SEXUAL EXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY CHANGE EFFORTSEFFORTS" " MEANS ANY PRACTICE BY A LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL THAT SEEKS TO DIRECT A PATIENT TOWARD A PAGE 3-HOUSE BILL 26-1322 PREDETERMINEDSEXUALORIENTATIONORGENDERIDENTITYOUTCOMEPREDETERMINED ,ORSEXUAL TOELIMINATEORREDUCESEXUALORROMANTICATTRACTIONSORFEELINGSORIENTATION ORGENDERIDENTITY OUTCOME, OR TO ELIMINATEORREDUCE SEXUALORROMANTICATTRACTIONS ORFEELINGS TOWARD INDIVIDUALS OF A PARTICULAR SEX OR GENDERGENDER, ,REGARDLESSREGARDLESS OF THE SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY THE PATIENT IS DIRECTED TOWARDTOWARD. .

(II)(II)"SEXUALORIENTATION "SXUALORIENTATIONORGENDERIDENTITYCHANGEEFFORTSORGENDER "IDENTITY CHANGE EFFORTS" DOES NOT INCLUDEINCLUDE: :

(A) COUNSELING OR THERAPY THAT PROVIDES ACCEPTANCEACCEPTANCE, ,SUPPORT, SUPPORTAND ,AND UNDERSTANDING OF A PATIENT OR FACILITATES A PATIENSPATIENT'S COPING,SOCIALSUPPORTCOPING, ,ANDIDENTITYEXPLORATIONANDDEVELOPMENTSOCIALSUPPORT, ,AND IDENTITYEXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT, WITHOUT SEEKING TO DIRECT THE PATIENT TOWARD A PREDETERMINED SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY OUTCOMEOUTCOME; ;

(B) CCOUNSELING OUNSELING OR THERAPY THAT IS NEUTRAL WITH RESPECT TO SEXUALORIENTATIONANDGENDERIDENTITYANDSEXUAL THATORIENTATION DOESAND NOT SEEK TO DIRECT THE PATIENT TOWARD A PREDETERMINED SEXUALORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY OUTCOMEAND ;ORTHAT (C)DOES CNOT OUNSELINGSEEK OR THERAPY RELATED TO ADIRECT PATIENT 'S SEXUAL BEHAVIORS , PRACTICES , OR RELATIONSHIPS , PROVIDED THAT THE COUNSELINGORTHERAPYDOESNOT SEEKTODIRECT THE PATIENT TOWARD A PREDETERMINED SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY .OUTCOME;

(2)(a)OR APERSONWHOSUFFEREDANINJURYASARESULTOFSEXUAL(C) ORIENTATIONCOUNSELING OR GENDERTHERAPY IDENTITYRELATED CHANGETO EFFORTSA MAYPATIENT'S BRINGSEXUAL BEHAVIORS, PRACTICES, OR RELATIONSHIPS, PROVIDED THAT THE COUNSELING ORTHERAPY DOES NOT SEEKTO DIRECTTHE PATIENTTOWARD A CIVILPREDETERMINED ACTIONSEXUAL FORORIENTATION DAMAGESOR .GENDER IDENTITY.

(b)(2)(a) NAPERSONWHOSUFFEREDANINJURYASARESULTOFSEXUAL OTWITHSTANDINGORIENTATION ANYOR OTHERGENDER STATUTEIDENTITY OFCHANGE LIMITATIONS SPECIFIEDINARTICLE 80OFTHISTITLE 13ORANYOTHERPROVISIONOFLAW THAT CAN BE CONSTRUED TO LIMIT THE TIME PERIOD TO COMMENCE AN ACTIONDESCRIBEDINTHISSECTION ,ACIVILACTIONTORECOVERDAMAGES FORTHEPROVISIONOFSEXUALORIENTATIONORGENDERIDENTITYCHANGE EFFORTS MAY BEBRING COMMENCEDA ATCIVIL ANYACTION TIMEFOR WITHOUTDAMAGES. LIMITATION .

(3)(b) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS SPECIFIED IN ANARTICL80 ACTIONOFTHIS BROUGHTTITLE13ORANY PURSUANTOTHERPROVISION OF LAW THAT CAN BE CONSTRUED TO LIMIT THE TIME PERIOD TO COMMENCE AN ACTION DESCRIBED IN THIS SECTIONSECTION, ,A THECIVIL PLAINTIFFACTION MAYTO RECOVER DAMAGES THATFORTHE INCLUDEPROVISION :OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION ORGENDER IDENTITY CHANGE EFFORTS MAY BE COMMENCED AT ANY TIME WITHOUT LIMITATION.

(a)(3) ECONOMICIN AN ACTION BROUGHT PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, THE PLAINTIFF MAY RECOVER DAMAGES ;THAT INCLUDE:

PAGE(a) 4-HOUSEECONOMIC BILLDAMAGES; 26-1322 (b) NONECONOMIC DAMAGES ;

(c)PA EXEMPLARYDAMAGESIFTHECONDUCTOFTHEDEFENDANTWASG WILLFULE OR4-H WANTONO ,ASU PROVIDEDSE INBILL26-1322 SECTION13-21-102;(b)NONECONOMIC DAMAGES;

AND(c)EXEMPLARY (d)DAMAGES ANYIFTHE CONDUCTOFTHE DEFENDANT WAS WILLFUL OR WANTON, AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 13-21-102;AND (d)ANY OTHER DAMAGES DEEMED APPROPRIATE BY THE COURTCOURT. .

(4)(4)IN IN AN ACTION BROUGHT PURSUANT TO THIS SECTIONSECTION, THE TRIER OF FACT MAY CONSIDER THE NATURENATURE, ,DURATIONDURATION, ,ANDAND INTENSITY OF THE SEXUALORIENTATIONORGENDERIDENTITYCHANGEEFFORTSSEXUALORIENTATIONORGENDERIDENTITYCHANGEEFFORTS, ,THEAGEANDTHE AGEAND VULNERABILITY OF THE PLAINTIFF AT THE TIME THE SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY CHANGE EFFORTS TOOK PLACEPLACE, , THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PLAINTIFF AND THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALPROFESSIONAL, ,THETHE TEMPORAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY CHANGE EFFORTS AND THE ONSET OR EXACERBATION OF SYMPTOMSSYMPTOMS, ,ANDAND ANY OTHER RELEVANT FACTORSFACTORS. .

(5)(a)(5) THECAUSE(a)THE OFACTIONDESCRIBEDINTHISSECTIONSURVIVESCAUSE OF ACTION DESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION SURVIVES THE DEATH OF THE PERSON WHO UNDERWENT SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDERIDENTITYCHANGEEFFORTSANDMAYBEBROUGHTORMAINTAINEDGENDER IDENTITYCHANGEEFFORTS AND MAY BEBROUGHTORMAINTAINED BY THE PERSONPERSON'S S PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OR ESTATEESTATE. .

(b) NOTWITHSTANDINGTHESTATUTEOFLIMITATIONSDESCRIBEDINNOTWITHSTANDINGTHESTATUTEOF LIMITATIONS DESCRIBED IN SECTION 13-80-112,ANACTIONBROUGHTASASURVIVALACTIONPURSUANT13-80-112,AN ACTION BROUGHTAS ASURVIVALACTION PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (5)(a)OF THIS SECTION MUST BE BROUGHT WITHIN FIVE YEARS AFTER THE PERSONPERSON'S SDEATH. DEATH .

(c) NNOTWITHSTANDING OTWITHSTANDING THE LIMITATION ON DAMAGES IN SECTION 13-20-101 (1)THE(1),THE PERSONPERSON'S S PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OR ESTATE MAY RECOVER ALL DAMAGES AVAILABLE PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (3)OF THIS SECTION IN AN ACTION BROUGHT OR MAINTAINED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION (5).

(6) THIS SECTION DOES NOT CREATE A NEW CAUSE OF ACTIONACTION. .

(7) IISTHEINTENTOFTHEGENERALASSEMBLYTHATTHISSECTIONIT IS THE INTENTOFTHEGENERAL ASSEMBLY THATTHIS SECTION BE INTERPRETED BROADLY TO EFFECTUATE ITS REMEDIAL PURPOSE OF PROVIDING CIVIL REMEDIES TO PERSONS HARMED BY SEXUALORIENTATIONSEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY CHANGE EFFORTSEFFORTS. .