Bill Text: IA HF424 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act prohibiting mental health providers from engaging in sexual orientation change efforts with a patient of any age, and making penalties applicable.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 16-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-02-23 - Introduced, referred to Human Resources. H.J. 458. [HF424 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2017-HF424-Introduced.html
House File 424 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY M. SMITH, OLDSON, BENNETT, ANDERSON, STAED, HEDDENS, KACENA, BROWN=POWERS, LENSING, KURTH, WESSEL=KROESCHELL, WINCKLER, PRICHARD, HUNTER, GASKILL, and McCONKEY A BILL FOR 1 An Act prohibiting mental health providers from engaging in 2 sexual orientation change efforts with a patient of any age, 3 and making penalties applicable. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 2489YH (3) 87 pf/nh PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 135.191 Sexual orientation change 1 2 efforts. 1 3 1. For the purposes of this division, unless the context 1 4 otherwise requires: 1 5 a. "Mental health provider" means a physician and surgeon or 1 6 osteopathic physician and surgeon licensed under chapter 148 1 7 who specializes in the practice of psychiatry; a psychologist 1 8 licensed under chapter 154B; a licensed marital and family 1 9 therapist or mental health counselor or a temporary licensed 1 10 marital and family therapist or mental health counselor as 1 11 defined in section 154D.1; a social worker licensed pursuant to 1 12 chapter 154C; a licensed school counselor, school psychologist, 1 13 or school social worker; or an advanced registered nurse 1 14 practitioner, a psychiatric nurse, or any other person who 1 15 provides counseling or mental health or behavioral health 1 16 services as a part of the person's professional training or 1 17 practice under Iowa law or rule, or any student, intern, 1 18 volunteer, or other person assisting or acting under the 1 19 direction or guidance of any of these professionals. 1 20 b. "Patient" means an individual who is under the care of a 1 21 mental health provider. 1 22 c. (1) "Sexual orientation change efforts" means any 1 23 practice by a mental health provider that seeks to change an 1 24 individual's sexual orientation, including but not limited 1 25 to efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or 1 26 gender identity, or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic 1 27 attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same sex. 1 28 (2) "Sexual orientation change efforts" does not include any 1 29 of the following: 1 30 (a) Counseling or therapy that provides acceptance, 1 31 support, and understanding of the individual or the 1 32 facilitation of an individual's coping, social support, 1 33 and identity exploration and development, including sexual 1 34 orientation=neutral interventions to prevent or address 1 35 unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices. 2 1 (b) Psychotherapies that do not seek to change sexual 2 2 orientation. 2 3 (c) Counseling for an individual seeking to transition from 2 4 one gender to another. 2 5 2. A mental health provider shall not engage in sexual 2 6 orientation change efforts with a patient. 2 7 3. A mental health provider who engages in sexual 2 8 orientation change efforts with a patient shall be subject to 2 9 disciplinary action by the licensing entity or disciplinary 2 10 authority with professional jurisdiction over the mental health 2 11 provider. 2 12 EXPLANATION 2 13 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 2 14 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 2 15 This bill prohibits a mental health provider from engaging 2 16 in sexual orientation change efforts with a patient of any age. 2 17 The bill provides that a mental health provider who engages in 2 18 sexual orientation change efforts with a patient is subject to 2 19 disciplinary action by the entity or disciplinary authority 2 20 with professional jurisdiction over the mental health provider. LSB 2489YH (3) 87 pf/nh
