Attorney General Bonta Supports Colorado Law Banning Conversion Therapy for Minors at U.S. Supreme Court

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Bonta today joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court defending a Colorado law that prohibits licensed health professionals from practicing conversion “therapy” on minors. Conversion “therapy,” also called sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts, are harmful and ineffective practices that attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Colorado’s law prohibits licensed health professionals from practicing conversion therapy on children and youth. The statute was challenged in federal court by a licensed counselor who supports conversion therapy. Most recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit ruled that Colorado is entitled to regulate professional conduct, particularly where there is evidence of harm. The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral argument in this case on October 7, 2025.

“In 2012, California became the first state to enact legislation — SB 1172 — banning conversion therapy on anyone under 18 years of age. Because conversion therapy doesn’t work; because it’s harmful to our youth; and because it’s fundamentally wrong,” said Attorney General Bonta. “With this important case now before the U.S. Supreme Court, we are proud to once again stand on the right side of history. We urge the justices to uphold Colorado’s law.”  

In the amicus brief, the attorneys general support Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy because it is not a safe or effective treatment for any condition, puts youth at risk of serious harms, including increased risks of suicide and depression, and falls below the standard of care for mental health practitioners. California is one of over 25 states that bans or restricts conversion therapy. The practice is repudiated by all leading medical and mental professional organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Psychiatric Association.

The brief outlines why the court should reject the arguments against Colorado’s ban on the practice:

• The First Amendment does not shield dangerous and ineffective mental health practices from regulation, nor does it allow licensed providers to operate below a certain standard of care.
• Such bans are consistent with states’ long history of establishing and regulating professional standards of care.
• Striking down such a ban could create profound unintended consequences for states’ authority to regulate professional practices within their borders as they have throughout most of the nation’s history.

In filing the amicus brief, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of: Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. Attorney General Bonta also filed an amicus brief in support of the Colorado law when it was pending at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.  

A copy of the amicus brief can be found here. 

HOW TO GET HELP

If you identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and are thinking about suicide or struggling with your emotional health, we encourage you to reach out to one or more of the following resources and support services:

Trevor Project Lifeline: (866) 488-7386

The Trevor Lifeline provides support to LGBTQ+ youths and allies in crisis or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk.

Trans Lifeline: (877) 565-8860

Trans Lifeline provides peer support for the transgender community, and is run by and for trans people.

LGBT National Help Center

A national resource that provides LGBTQ+ community with free & confidential support and referral resources via phone, text, and chat.

Colors Youth

This non-profit organization provides free and unlimited mental health services for LGBTQ-identified youths ages 25 and younger.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) LGBTQ+ Page

This page highlights the unique mental health needs of the LGBTQ+ community and includes hotlines and resources to help address those needs.