HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1606        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1190

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Kay Khan

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to abusive practices to change sexual orientation and gender identity in minors.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

1/19/2017

Mark C. Montigny

Second Bristol and Plymouth

1/23/2017

Sarah K. Peake

4th Barnstable

1/24/2017

Byron Rushing

9th Suffolk

1/27/2017

Louis L. Kafka

8th Norfolk

2/1/2017

Cory Atkins

14th Middlesex

2/3/2017

Jennifer E. Benson

37th Middlesex

1/23/2017

Antonio F. D. Cabral

13th Bristol

1/31/2017

Edward F. Coppinger

10th Suffolk

2/2/2017

William C. Galvin

6th Norfolk

1/25/2017

Kate Hogan

3rd Middlesex

2/1/2017

Kevin G. Honan

17th Suffolk

2/3/2017

Jay R. Kaufman

15th Middlesex

2/2/2017

Peter V. Kocot

1st Hampshire

2/3/2017

David Paul Linsky

5th Middlesex

1/30/2017

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

2/1/2017

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

2/2/2017

Aaron Michlewitz

3rd Suffolk

1/26/2017

James J. O'Day

14th Worcester

1/31/2017

Alice Hanlon Peisch

14th Norfolk

2/3/2017

Jeffrey Sánchez

15th Suffolk

2/3/2017

Paul A. Schmid, III

8th Bristol

2/2/2017

John W. Scibak

2nd Hampshire

1/26/2017

Michael J. Barrett

Third Middlesex

1/26/2017

Sonia Chang-Diaz

Second Suffolk

1/30/2017

Julian Cyr

Cape and Islands

2/3/2017

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

2/1/2017

Linda Dorcena Forry

First Suffolk

1/27/2017

Eric P. Lesser

First Hampden and Hampshire

2/3/2017

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

1/25/2017

Barbara A. L'Italien

Second Essex and Middlesex

2/1/2017

Joan B.  Lovely

Second Essex

1/25/2017

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

1/19/2017

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

1/19/2017

Christine P. Barber

34th Middlesex

1/19/2017

Paul Brodeur

32nd Middlesex

2/1/2017

James M. Cantwell

4th Plymouth

1/26/2017

Evandro C. Carvalho

5th Suffolk

2/3/2017

Tackey Chan

2nd Norfolk

1/19/2017

Mike Connolly

26th Middlesex

1/19/2017

Claire D. Cronin

11th Plymouth

1/31/2017

Daniel Cullinane

12th Suffolk

2/2/2017

Josh S. Cutler

6th Plymouth

1/24/2017

Michael S. Day

31st Middlesex

2/1/2017

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

2/2/2017

Daniel M. Donahue

16th Worcester

1/19/2017

Michelle M. DuBois

10th Plymouth

1/19/2017

Carolyn C. Dykema

8th Middlesex

1/19/2017

Lori A. Ehrlich

8th Essex

1/19/2017

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

3rd Berkshire

2/2/2017

Dylan Fernandes

Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket

1/19/2017

Carole A. Fiola

6th Bristol

2/2/2017

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

1/23/2017

Carmine L. Gentile

13th Middlesex

1/19/2017

Solomon Goldstein-Rose

3rd Hampshire

1/19/2017

Kenneth I. Gordon

21st Middlesex

1/24/2017

Danielle W. Gregoire

4th Middlesex

1/26/2017

Sheila C. Harrington

1st Middlesex

2/3/2017

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

1/27/2017

Paul R. Heroux

2nd Bristol

1/30/2017

Natalie Higgins

4th Worcester

1/22/2017

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

2/2/2017

Stephen Kulik

1st Franklin

1/19/2017

Jack Lewis

7th Middlesex

1/19/2017

Jay D. Livingstone

8th Suffolk

1/19/2017

Adrian Madaro

1st Suffolk

1/27/2017

Juana B. Matias

16th Essex

2/2/2017

Joan Meschino

3rd Plymouth

1/19/2017

Smitty Pignatelli

4th Berkshire

2/1/2017

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

1/20/2017

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex

1/24/2017

Jeffrey N. Roy

10th Norfolk

2/2/2017

Daniel J. Ryan

2nd Suffolk

1/19/2017

Alan Silvia

7th Bristol

1/20/2017

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

2/3/2017

José F. Tosado

9th Hampden

2/3/2017

Paul Tucker

7th Essex

2/1/2017

Steven Ultrino

33rd Middlesex

1/30/2017

Aaron Vega

5th Hampden

1/26/2017

David T. Vieira

3rd Barnstable

2/3/2017

Chris Walsh

6th Middlesex

1/27/2017

Susannah M. Whipps

2nd Franklin

2/2/2017


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1606        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1190

 

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act relative to abusive practices to change sexual orientation and gender identity in minors.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official addition, is hereby amended by adding following new section:-

Section 266. (a) Definitions.

For the purposes of this section, “licensed professional” means any licensed medical, mental health, or human service professional licensed under Chapter 112, including any psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker, psychiatric nurse, allied mental health and human services professional, licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed rehabilitation counselor, licensed mental health counselor, licensed educational psychologist, or any of their respective interns or trainees, or any other person designated or licensed as a mental health or human service professional under Massachusetts law or regulation.

The term “sexual orientation” shall mean having an orientation for or being identified as having an orientation for heterosexuality, bisexuality, or homosexuality.

The term "Gender identity'' shall mean a person's gender-related identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not that gender-related identity, appearance or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person's physiology or assigned sex at birth. Gender-related identity may be shown by providing evidence including, but not limited to, medical history, care or treatment of the gender-related identity, consistent and uniform assertion of the gender-related identity or any other evidence that the gender-related identity is sincerely held as part of a person's core identity; provided, however, that gender-related identity shall not be asserted for any improper purpose.

“Sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts” means any practice by a licensed professional that attempts or purports to impose change of an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including but not limited to efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions, or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same sex. The term “sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts” does not include practices:

(A)(1) to provide acceptance, support, and understanding of an individual’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression; (2) facilitate an individual’s coping, social support, and identity exploration and development; or (3) that are sexual orientation-neutral or gender identity-neutral including interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices; and

(B) Do not attempt or purport to impose change of an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

(b) Under no circumstances shall a licensed professional advertise for or engage in sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts with a patient less than 18 years of age. Any licensed professional violating this prohibition shall be such subject to discipline by the appropriate licensing board, which may include suspension or revocation of license.

(c) Whoever violates this section shall be considered to have violated section 2 of chapter 93A. Any such claim brought under this section shall be subject to sections 5A and 7 of chapter 260.

SECTION 2. (a) Subsection (a) of Section 51A of chapter 119 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official addition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “chapter 233” the following words:-

or (vi) being subjected to sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts as defined by section 169 of chapter 112

(b) Section 51A of chapter 119 is further amended in subsection (i) after the word “family.” by adding the following words:-

Any report including licensed professionals engaging in sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts as defined under section 169 of chapter 112 shall be filed within 30 days to the appropriate licensing board for review and possible suspension or revocation of license.