Utah Gov. Gary Herbert Announces Rule to Ban Conversion Therapy in the State
FOREVER
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Utah Gov. Gary Herbert announced Thursday that he will file a new rule to ban conversion therapy on minors in the state. Herbert said in a statement that LGBTQ+ groups have agreed on language that would prohibit the discredited practice of trying to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of young people. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the proposed professional licensing rule for therapists and psychologists is drafted from an earlier bill that stalled in the state legislature earlier this year. “I have learned much through this process,” Herbert said in a statement. “The stories of youth who have endured these so-called therapies are heart-rending, and I’m grateful that we have found a way forward that will ban conversion therapy forever in our state.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has said it is opposed to conversion therapy and that its therapists do not practice it, according to the Tribune. The proposed rule could go into effect as early as Jan. 22, according to a press release.