The Colorado state House moved ahead Friday with a bill to restrict therapists from practicing gay conversion therapy on minors.
Under the bill, licensed mental health professionals could no longer offer counseling aimed changing a young person’s sexual orientation. Democratic representative Paul Rosenthal of Denver argued therapists should focus on helping teens accept who they are.
"Not who the therapist thinks they are, or who the therapist thinks they should be," he added.
But Representative Kathleen Conti, a Littleton Republican, believes the bill denies therapy that could help some young people.
The teen gay conversion therapy ban faces on final vote in the House there before heading to the Senate, where it is likely to face more opposition.
