David Ige signed SB 270 yesterday, and the law will come into effect on July 1.
Hawaii will become the eleventh U.S. state to ban gay ‘cure’ therapy for minors on July 1, after the state’s governor David Ige signed the bill into legislation.
The bill sailed through both the legislative house, and the state’s Senate. In the former only two Republicans opposed the bill, and in the latter it was only opposed by Democratic Senator Mike Gabbard. Gabbard is also the head of the Alliance for Traditional Marriage and Values, which has previously sought to outlaw same-sex marriage in the state.
Currently, only ten other U.S. states have a ban in place for the harmful practice. They are New Jersey, California, Oregon, Illinois, Vermont, New Mexico, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Nevada and Washington.
Fifteen other states are currently debating bans on the practice. They are Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
However, even though the practice is still legal in most of the states, certain cities like Cincinnati in Ohio or Miami in Florida have banned the practice.
Related: California to give fraud convictions to people who carry out gay ‘cure’ therapy
Although Hawaii will become the eleventh state to have a ban in place on gay ‘cure’ therapy for minors, it is actually the twelfth state to sign legislation to ban the discredited practice, as Maryland’s governor, Larry Hogan, signed their bill back in March. However, their ban doesn’t come into force until October 1.
New Hampshire is also on course to ban the practice, after its legislative houses passed the bill. The state’s governor, Chris Sununu has already confirmed that he would sign the bill, and when he does New Hampshire’s ban will come into force on January 1 2019.
The bill was supported by The Trevor Project, a leading crisis intervention and suicide prevention organisation for LGBTQ youth in the U.S. The bill was able to pass the houses with help from the organisation’s 50 Bills 50 States initiative, which is seeking to ban gay ‘cure’ therapy in all 50 states.
Amit Paley, the CEO and executive director of The Trevor Project said: “We’re seeing significant momentum to protect LGBTQ youth from the dangerous and discredited practice of conversion therapy, and The Trevor Project calls on even more states to join Hawaii in banning this barbaric practice.
“We look forward to continuing 50 Bills 50 States’ important work alongside new state legislators to protect even more LGBTQ young people nationwide.”
Sam Brinton, the Head of Advocacy & Government Affairs added: “I’m proud to continue working alongside legislators nationwide to eliminate conversion therapy throughout the U.S.”
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