Colorado lawmakers have passed a new bill designed to strengthen protections for LGBTQ+ youth against conversion therapy after the U.S. Supreme Court raised constitutional concerns about the state’s previous ban earlier this year.
HB26-1322 cleared the Colorado General Assembly on May 7 and now heads to the desk of Gov. Jared Polis. The legislation updates Colorado’s longstanding prohibition on conversion therapy following the Supreme Court’s March ruling in Chiles v. Salazar, while also expanding legal protections for survivors seeking accountability.
The move arrives during a growing national fight over conversion therapy laws, with LGBTQ+ advocates warning that challenges to state protections could leave vulnerable young people at greater risk.
What The New Law Changes
According to advocates backing the bill, the Supreme Court’s ruling in Chiles v. Salazar did not endorse conversion therapy or dispute the overwhelming medical consensus surrounding its harms. Instead, the Court argued Colorado’s previous law raised First Amendment concerns because it regulated speech based on viewpoint in talk therapy settings.
HB26-1322 attempts to resolve that issue by rewriting the statute to focus on predetermined outcomes rather than specific identities.
Under the updated language, licensed mental health professionals are prohibited from steering minors toward any fixed outcome related to sexual orientation or gender identity. The restriction applies regardless of direction, making the statute viewpoint-neutral under the framework laid out by the Court.
Supporters say the change preserves Colorado’s existing protections while making the law more resilient against future constitutional challenges.
The legislation also expands the statute of limitations for malpractice claims involving conversion therapy. Lawmakers and advocacy groups argued survivors often need years to process trauma connected to these experiences before pursuing legal action.
Advocates Say The Stakes Are Life-Or-Death
LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations framed the bill as an urgent response to ongoing mental health risks facing queer and trans youth.
The Trevor Project Senior Director of Law & Policy Casey Pick praised lawmakers for moving quickly after the Supreme Court decision.
“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 in a statement. “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 data from The Trevor Project’s 2024 “50 State Report,” which found that 41% of LGBTQ+ youth in Colorado seriously considered suicide in the past year. Research cited in the release states that LGBTQ+ youth subjected to conversion therapy are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide.
“The data could not be clearer: if we end these junk practices, we will save young people’s lives,” Pick added.
Colorado Responds Quickly After Supreme Court Ruling
The legislation moved through the statehouse just weeks after the Supreme Court issued its March 31 decision.
Advocates involved in the bill said Colorado lawmakers worked closely with legal experts to revise the statute before additional litigation could weaken enforcement of the state’s protections.
National Center for LGBTQ Rights Legal Director Shannon Minter said the Court’s opinion effectively offered states a roadmap for how to preserve bans on conversion therapy.
“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,” Minter said.
He added that the updated legislation also ensures survivors have more time to pursue malpractice claims tied to conversion therapy.
Meanwhile, One Colorado Executive Director Nadine Bridges described the bill as part of a broader effort to make Colorado safer for LGBTQ+ residents.
“HB26-1322 strengthens protections for survivors of conversion therapy by recognizing the lasting harm these practices cause and expanding pathways to justice,” Bridges said.
Medical Groups Continue To Condemn Conversion Therapy
Every major U.S. medical and mental health association continues to oppose conversion therapy, including the American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association and American Psychological Association.
Research cited by advocacy groups links conversion therapy to depression, anxiety, substance abuse, trauma responses and suicidal ideation.
The Trevor Project also reported in 2023 that more than 1,300 active conversion therapy practitioners were still operating across the United States.
Polling referenced in the release found that most Americans support banning the practice for minors.
If signed by Gov. Polis, Colorado’s updated law could become an early model for other states attempting to defend LGBTQ+ protections after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Chiles v. Salazar.
