California Bill Seeks to Prohibit Counseling for Sexual Orientation Change

First amendment groups and pro-family groups to combat bill

Frank Lee (2nd L) and Dr. Brad Dacus (3rd L) during a PJI event in Northern California Lear Zhou/The Epoch Times

A new bill, which aims to ban counseling resources for those with unwanted same-sex attractions or gender confusion, is scheduled to move to the California State Senate as early as Aug. 6.

First Amendment groups and pro-family groups throughout California are voicing opposition to the bill as they believe it would violate their rights and values. The bill, called AB 2943, declares that “advertising, offering for sale, or selling services constituting sexual orientation change efforts to an individual” is illegal under the state’s consumer fraud law. The bill was initiated by Assemblyman Evan Low (D-San Jose), chair of the California Legislative LGBT Caucus, and passed by the State Assembly on April 19 this year with a 50-18 vote.