Title: Sexual Orientation Change Efforts

Summary: Defining the term "sexual orientation change effort"; prohibiting persons who are licensed to provide professional counseling and various practitioners who are licensed under provisions regulating the practice of medicine, osteopathic medicine, psychology, clinical social work, marriage and family therapy, or mental health counseling from engaging in sexual orientation change efforts on behalf of a person who is younger than a specified age, etc.

Full Text:
An act relating to sexual orientation change efforts; creating s. 456.064, F.S.; defining the term  sexual orientation change effort ; prohibiting persons who are licensed to provide professional counseling and various practitioners who are licensed under provisions regulating the practice of medicine, osteopathic medicine, psychology, clinical social work, marriage and family therapy, or mental health counseling from engaging in sexual orientation change efforts on behalf of a person who is younger than a specified age; providing that a violation of the prohibition constitutes unprofessional conduct subject to disciplinary proceedings by the Department of Health and the appropriate regulatory board; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Section 456.064, Florida Statutes, is created to read: 456.064 Sexual orientation change efforts.  (1) As used in this section, the term  sexual orientation change effort  means any practice or treatment performed with the goal of changing a person s sexual orientation, including, but not limited to, efforts to change behavior, gender identity, or gender expression, or to reduce or eliminate sexual or romantic attraction or feelings toward a person of the same gender. The term does not include counseling that: (a) Provides support to a person actively undergoing gender transition; or (b) Provides acceptance, support, and understanding of a person or facilitates a person s coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, including sexual orientation-neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices, if such counseling is not conducted with the goal of changing the person s sexual orientation or gender identity. (2)(a) A person who is licensed to provide professional counseling, or who performs counseling as part of his or her professional training under chapter 458, chapter 459, chapter 490, or chapter 491, including, but not limited to, medical practitioners, osteopathic practitioners, psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and licensed counselors, may not engage in sexual orientation change efforts on behalf of a person younger than years of age. (b) A licensed professional as described in paragraph (a) who engages in or attempts to engage in sexual orientation change efforts on behalf of a person younger than years of age engages in unprofessional conduct and is subject to disciplinary proceedings by the department and the appropriate regulatory board. Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.