New Mexico Bans Conversion Therapy

Governor Suzana Martinez has signed into law a bill banning conversion therapy on minors in New Mexico.  New Mexico becomes the latest state to do so, joining California, Oregon, Illinois, Vermont, New Jersey, and Washington DC.  The bill was introduced by Senator Jacob Candelaria and Representative Andres Romero, both Democrats. Governor Martinez is a Republican.  The bill provides disciplinary steps for licensing boards to take, and does not apply to members of the clergy.  

“I’ve spent my career fighting for kids, both as a prosecutor and as governor,” Martinez said. “It is for this reason that I sign Senate Bill 121, which bans certain practices that have been shown to cause harm to children.”

“In New Mexico, we value and celebrate every child for who they are,” Candelaria said. “I want to thank Gov. Martinez for having the courage to stand up for the simple truth that every LGBTQ kid in New Mexico is born perfect. I also want to thank the victims of conversion ‘therapy’ who came forward to support this bill. Their stories did not fall on deaf ears. They turned their suffering into a force for good, and because of them, and for them, we have made history.”

SB122 amends state law to include use of conversion therapy on a minor as reason to deny, revoke or suspend licenses held by nurses, doctors and mental health experts. To recover the costs of investigations leading to these decisions, the state may impose fines on these practitioners.