THE SENATE
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017
STATE OF HAWAII
C.D. 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO MINORS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
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SECTION 1.

The legislature finds that the American

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Psychological Association convened a task force on appropriate

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therapeutic responses to sexual orientation. The task force

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conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed journal

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literature on sexual orientation change efforts.

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concluded that sexual orientation change efforts are unlikely to

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be successful and involve risk of harm to lesbian, gay, and

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bisexual individuals, including depression, suicidality, loss of

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sexual feeling, anxiety, shame, negative self-image, and other

The task force

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negative feelings and behaviors.

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that children and adolescents who participate in these types of

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sexual orientation change efforts, which often use fear-based

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techniques, are given inaccurate scientific information

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regarding sexual orientation and gender identity and are also at

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risk of increased self-stigma and psychological distress.

The legislature further finds

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The legislature additionally finds that sexual orientation

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change efforts are opposed by the country's leading medical and
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mental health professional organizations, including the American

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Psychological Association, American Medical Association,

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American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychiatric

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Association, National Association of Social Workers, American

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College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and American Academy

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of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

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The purpose of this Act is to:

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(1) Protect the physical and psychological well-being of

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minors, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and

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transgender youth, against exposure to serious harms

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caused by sexual orientation change efforts by

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regulating the conduct of specific state-licensed

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persons who provide professional counseling to minors

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under the age of eighteen and prohibiting these

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professionals from engaging in, attempting to engage

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in, or advertising the offering of sexual orientation

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change efforts on persons under eighteen years of age;

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and

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(2) Establish the sexual orientation counseling task force
to address the concerns of minors seeking counseling

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on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender

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expressions, and related behaviors.

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SECTION 2 .

The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by

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adding a new chapter to title 2 5 to be appropriately designated

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and to read as follows:

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"CHAPTER

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SEXUAL ORIENTATION CHANGE EFFORTS

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§

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Sexual orientation change efforts prohibited;

advertising prohibited.

(a) No person who is licensed to

provide professional counseling shall:

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Engage in or attempt to engage in sexual orientation

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change efforts on a person under eighteen years of

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age; or

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Advertise the offering of sexual orientation change

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efforts on a person under eighteen years of age.

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Any person who is licensed to provide professional

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counseling who engages in or attempts to engage in the offering

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of sexual orientation change efforts on a person under eighteen

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years of age shall be subject to disciplinary action by the

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appropriate professional licensing authority.

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(c) For purposes of this section:

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vlAdvertisell
means a communication made by or on behalf of a

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person who is licensed to provide professional counseling, made

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for the purpose of inducing or promoting a professional

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counseling relationship in which sexual orientation change

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efforts will be undertaken on a person under the age of

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eighteen.

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pictorial statements or representations, including those made

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through any electronic or print medium.

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IlAdvertiseIl includes oral , written, graphic, or

IIPerson who is licensed to provide professional counseling"

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means a person who performs counseling as part of the person's

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professional training, including a physician, especially one

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practicing psychiatry, licensed pursuant to chapter 453;

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psychologist licensed pursuant to chapter 465; nurse licensed

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pursuant to chapter 457; social worker licensed pursuant to

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chapter 4673; licensed mental health counselor licensed pursuant

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to chapter 453D; or licensed marriage and family therapist

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licensed pursuant to chapter 4515.

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IISexual orientation change efforts" means the practice of

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attempting to change a person's sexual orientation, including

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but not limited to efforts to change gender identity or gender

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expressions and behaviors; or to reduce or eliminate sexual or

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romantic attractions or feelings toward a person of the same

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gender.

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"Sexual orientation change efforts1'shall not include

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counseling supporting a person seeking to transition from one

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gender to another or counseling that:

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(1) Provides acceptance, support, and understanding of a

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person or facilitates a person's coping, social

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support, and identity exploration and development,

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including sexual orientation-neutral interventions to

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prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual

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practices; and

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(2) Does not seek to change sexual orientation, gender
identity, or gender expression.Il
SECTION 3 .

(a) There is established within the department

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of health, the sexual orientation counseling task force. The

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task force shall address the concerns of minors seeking

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counseling on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender

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expressions, and related behaviors.

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a report with findings and recommendations, including proposed

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legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior

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The task force shall submit

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to the convening of the regular session of 2019.

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shall address and include:

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The report

Current counseling practices in Hawaii and nationwide
t

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for minors, including counseling on sexual

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orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and

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related behaviors;

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Studies by nationally accredited institutions or

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government agencies regarding the availability of

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counseling for minors on issues regarding sexual

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orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and

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related behaviors;

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An analysis of the availability of minor-initiated

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counseling on sexual orientation, gender identity,

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gender expression, and related behaviors; and

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Proposed legislation to provide accessible and

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appropriate counseling to minors on issues regarding

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sexual orientation, gender identity, gender

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expression, and related behaviors.

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The director of health, or the director's designee,

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the chair of the sexual orientation counseling task
force. The task force shall include:

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Three members to be selected by the governor; provided

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that two members shall be from the mental health

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industry;

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Two members to be selected by the president of the

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senate;

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Two members to be selected by the speaker of the house

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of representatives;

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Two members to be selected by the director of health;

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Two members to be selected by the superintendent of

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education; and

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One member to be selected by the attorney general.

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The members of the task force shall serve without

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compensation, but shall be reimbursed by the department of

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health for necessary expenses, including travel expenses,

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incurred for service on the task force. No member of the task

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force shall be made subject to section 84-17, Hawaii Revised

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Statutes, solely because of that member's participation on the

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task force.

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Hawaii Revised Statutes.

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The task force shall be exempt from chapter 92,

(d) The sexual orientation counseling task force shall
dissolve on June 30, 2019.

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SECTION 4.

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This Act does not affect rights and duties that

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matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were

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begun before its effective date.

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SECTION 5 .

If any provision of this Act, or the

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application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held

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invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or

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applications of the Act that can be given effect without the

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invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions

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of this Act are severable.

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SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2018.

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Report Title:

Sexual Orientation Change Efforts; Conversion Therapy;
Prohibition; Minors; Licensed Professionals; Sexual Orientation
Counseling Task Force
Description:

Prohibits specific state-licensed persons who are licensed to
provide professional counseling from engaging in, attempting to
engage in, or advertising sexual orientation change efforts on
minors. Establishes the sexual orientation counseling task
force to address the concerns of minors seeking counseling on
sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expressions, and
related behaviors. (CD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
nof legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

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