Conversion Therapy Ban (House)
What This Bill Does
HB 300 is the House companion to SB 71. It would ban licensed mental health professionals from practicing conversion therapy on minors in Ohio. The bill targets only state-licensed practitioners — it does not affect religious counseling, pastoral care, or adult choices. Licensed professionals who violate the ban would face disciplinary action from their licensing boards.
Why This Matters
LGBTQ+ youth who undergo conversion therapy are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide compared to those who do not. In Ohio, there is currently no state law preventing licensed therapists from subjecting minors to this harmful, discredited practice. HB 300 would bring Ohio in line with the majority of states that have already acted to protect vulnerable young people from this pseudoscientific treatment.
Medical Consensus
- The Trevor Project reports that LGBTQ+ youth who underwent conversion therapy were more than twice as likely to attempt suicide
- Over 22 states and D.C. have already enacted conversion therapy bans for minors
- Senate companion SB 71 is advancing through the Senate Health Committee
- Broad coalition support from medical professionals, child welfare advocates, and faith leaders