As Pride Month begins, Colorado is moving to reinforce protections for LGBTQ+ youth rather than scale them back.
Governor Jared Polis just signed HB26-1322 into law today legislation designed to preserve Colorado’s longstanding prohibition on conversion therapy after the U.S. Supreme Court raised constitutional concerns about the state’s previous statute earlier this year.
The measure arrives just weeks after the Court’s decision in Chiles v. Salazar, a case that scrutinized how Colorado’s existing law regulated conversations between licensed therapists and minor patients. While the ruling challenged the framework of the statute, it did not endorse conversion therapy itself, nor did it dispute the extensive medical evidence documenting its harms.
Instead, Colorado lawmakers quickly returned to the drawing board.
A New Approach To Existing Protections
Under HB26-1322, Colorado updates the legal definition of conversion therapy by prohibiting licensed mental health professionals from steering minors toward a predetermined outcome regarding sexual orientation or gender identity, regardless of the direction.
Supporters say the revision directly addresses the Supreme Court’s First Amendment concerns by applying the law evenly rather than focusing on a specific viewpoint.
In practical terms, therapists cannot attempt to push young people toward any predetermined identity. Advocates argue the change preserves protections for LGBTQ+ youth while aligning the law with the constitutional guidance outlined by the Court.
The legislation passed through the Colorado General Assembly and now heads to Polis for final approval.
Advocates Call It A Critical Response
LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations praised lawmakers for acting quickly.
“At the end of March, the U.S. Supreme Court gave specific guidance about how to amend conversion therapy laws to be viewpoint-neutral so that these protections can remain in place, helping to protect youth before they are harmed,” said Shannon Minter, legal director at the National Center for LGBTQ Rights.
“Given the urgency of this issue and the danger that conversion therapy poses to youth, Colorado moved swiftly. Today this legislation is moving to the desk of Governor Polis and will protect Colorado’s youth and families from this discredited practice.”
One Colorado Executive Director Nadine Bridges framed the legislation as part of the state’s broader commitment to LGBTQIA+ residents.
“Colorado’s story is still being written, and today we took another step toward becoming a state where LGBTQIA+ people can live openly, safely, and fully as themselves,” Bridges said.
“This victory belongs to the survivors, advocates, and community members who refused to let this issue be forgotten.”
Expanded Rights For Survivors
The bill does more than revise the state’s conversion therapy ban.
HB26-1322 also extends the statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims involving conversion therapy. Supporters say that change reflects the reality that many survivors spend years processing the effects of the practice before deciding to pursue legal action.
According to advocates behind the legislation, trauma associated with conversion therapy often delays recognition of harm, making traditional filing deadlines difficult to meet.
The expanded legal window could allow more survivors to seek accountability through malpractice claims against licensed therapists who engaged in the practice.
The Mental Health Stakes
The Trevor Project and other advocacy organizations point to a growing body of research connecting conversion therapy to poor mental health outcomes among LGBTQ+ youth.
Casey Pick, senior director of law and policy at The Trevor Project, said the organization viewed the Supreme Court decision as a challenge rather than the end of the fight.
“Following the decision in Chiles v. Salazar, we said that our fight to end conversion therapy in this country was far from over – and we meant it,” Pick said.
“This new law amends Colorado’s existing protections to address the critiques highlighted by the Supreme Court’s recent decision and, importantly, declares that mental health professionals who abuse the sacred trust placed in them will not be protected from malpractice claims by the years of shame and silence caused by conversion therapy.”
Pick also pointed to recent data from The Trevor Project showing that 41% of LGBTQ+ young people in Colorado reported seriously considering suicide during the past year.
“The data could not be clearer: if we end these junk practices, we will save young people’s lives,” Pick said.
Research cited by advocacy groups shows LGBTQ+ youth who experience conversion therapy are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide compared with those who have not undergone the practice.
A Pride Month Message
The timing of the legislation is notable.
As Pride Month begins across the country, Colorado is positioning itself as one of the first states to respond directly to the Supreme Court’s ruling with updated protections rather than allowing uncertainty to linger.
Supporters say the measure sends a message that LGBTQ+ young people remain protected despite ongoing legal and political battles surrounding their rights.
For advocates, the bill is not simply a technical rewrite of existing law. It’s an effort to preserve safeguards for vulnerable youth while creating additional avenues for survivors seeking justice years after the harm occurred.
And with Governor Polis signing the measure into law, Colorado’s response could offer a roadmap for other states navigating the post-Chiles legal landscape.
