WHAT IS THE LAW AND WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE?
The Minnesota House, Senate and Governor Tim Walz passed a bill into law called a “Conversion Therapy Ban.”
While Pastor Gus Booth is not a licensed mental health practitioner, the new law updated the UNLAWFUL PRACTICES statute to include the following as fraud:
“Conversion Therapy” means services or products that are intended to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors and gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender.”
(b) No person or entity shall, while conducting any trade or commerce, use or employ any fraud, false pretense, false promise, false guarantee, misrepresentation, false or misleading statements, or deceptive practice by advertising or otherwise offering conversion therapy services that could reasonably be interpreted or inferred as representing homosexuality as a mental disease, disorder, or illness, or guaranteeing to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Because of this unconstitutional paragraph, labeling religious speech, testimony of former homosexuals attributed to Jesus, and pastoral care related to discipleship out of the homosexual identity and lifestyle as fraud, Pastor Gus Booth is standing up in the truth to declare the power of Jesus to sanctify the repentant homosexual which results in an change of sexual and romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender.
“Jesus is our conversion therapist.”
Pastor Gus Booth and the elders of Warroad Community Church stand firm in the confidence of the work of Jesus Christ. This creates a legal challenges for the Minnesota Government to consider to pursue the enforcement of Minnesota Statute 325F.69 subdivision 7 since CHANGE FOR A DOLLAR ministry would be a violation of that statute.
FACTS FROM THE BILL
Section 1. Subdivision 1. DEFINITIONS:
“Conversion therapy” means any practice by a mental health practitioner as defined in section 245I.04, subdivision 4, or a mental health professional as defined in section 245I.04, subdivision 2, that seeks to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender. Conversion therapy does not include counseling that provides assistance to an individual undergoing gender transition, or counseling that provides acceptance, support, and understanding of an individual or facilitates an individual’s coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, including sexual-orientation-neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices, as long as the counseling does not seek to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity
Subdivision 2. Prohibition
No mental health practitioner or mental health professional shall engage in conversion therapy with a client younger than 18 years of age or with a vulnerable adult as defined in section 626.5572, subdivision 21.
Conversion therapy attempted by a mental health practitioner or mental health
professional with a client younger than 18 years of age or with a vulnerable adult shall be
considered unprofessional conduct that may subject the mental health practitioner or mental
health professional to disciplinary action by the licensing board of the mental health
practitioner or mental health professional.
Section 3 Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 325F.69 [UNLAWFUL PRACTICES], is amended by adding a subdivision to read:
Subdivision 7. Advertisement and sales; misrepresentation of conversion therapy
For purposes of this subdivision, “conversion therapy” means services or products that are intended to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors and gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender.(b) No person or entity shall, while conducting any trade or commerce, use or employ any fraud, false pretense, false promise, false guarantee, misrepresentation, false or misleading statements, or deceptive practice by advertising or otherwise offering conversion therapy services that could reasonably be interpreted or inferred as representing homosexuality as a mental disease, disorder, or illness, or guaranteeing to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Additionally
Conversion therapy. Medical assistance does not cover conversion therapy as defined in section 214.078, subdivision 1.
DEBATES AND TESTIMONIES
Bill Signing Ceremony: Gender-affirming care, conversion therapy and abortion protection – 04/27/23
Senate Floor Session – Part 2 – 04/21/23 (SF 23 Dibble)
Press Conference: Reproductive Freedom Defense, Trans Refuge, Ban on Conversion Therapy – 04/21/23
MN House debate on legislation to ban conversion therapy for children and vulnerable adults 2/20/23
Senator Matt Klein, DFL-Mendota Heights, is the new chair of the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee. He joins Capitol Report moderator Shannon Loehrke to outline a handful of consumer protection bills, including banning conversion therapy,
[Senate] Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection – 02/14/23 (SF 23 Dibble)
[Senate] Committee on Health and Human Services – 02/08/23 (Entire Meeting) (SF 23 DIBBLE)
House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee 2/1/23
Committee Minutes with written testimonies.
House Health Finance and Policy Committee 1/24/23
Committee Minutes with written testimonies.
House Human Services Policy Committee 1/18/23 – HF 16
Committee Minutes with written testimonies.
Minnesota Senate DFL members call for action on the prevention of conversion therapy. (5/19/2022)
House Preventive Health Policy Division 3/2/22
Daren Mehl rebukes Rep. Robert Bierman who doubles down against 1st Amendment
Governor Walz Signs [unconstitutional] Executive Order Banning Conversion Therapy 7/15/2021
Rep. Susan Allen, DFL-Minneapolis, talks about her proposal that would ban the use of ‘conversion’ therapy for minors. (1/8/2014)
MN BILL LINKS
- House Version HF 16 – Conversion Therapy Ban
- Senate Version SF 23 – Conversion Therapy Ban
- Senate Journal Entry of Governor Signature on HF 16
- Minnesota LGBT Specific Bills
- Also consider: House File 146 Transgender Kidnapping Bill – House Debate
- HF 146 Committee Hearing
- Also consider: House File 1655 – Take Pride Act
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- TherapyEquality.org
- Resources related to the harms of conversion therapy bans.
- TherapeuticChoice.com
- Resources related to licensed professionals who allow clients to choose their objectives and practice SAFE-T model
- VoiceOfTheVoiceless.info
- Former LGBT Rights organization
- ChangedMovement.com
- Testimonies of former LGBT
- SamBrintonHoax.com
- Exposure of Sam Brinton, the LGBT lobby spokesperson as a liar and reprobate
CONVERSION THERAPY IN THE NEWS – RECENT WINS
- Tampa’s ‘conversion therapy’ ban ruled unconstitutional by federal appeals court
- Tampa City Council approves financial settlement over conversion therapy ban; The city of Tampa is set to pay Liberty Counsel $950,000 as a result.
- Florida Judge Overturns Tampa’s Conversion Therapy Ban
- $175,000 awarded to ‘conversion-therapy’ providers in Boca Raton case
IMAGE OF CONVERSION THERAPY BAN BILL SF 23
