Bill > HB1598

This bill, known as the Parental and Family Rights in Counseling Protection Act, establishes that state government entities cannot prevent mental health providers from offering counseling or clients from receiving counseling aimed at addressing unwanted same-sex attractions, behaviors, identity, or gender expressions, and it specifically protects the right of parents or legal guardians to seek such counseling for their children. The act defines "mental health provider" broadly to include various licensed professionals, "patient" or "client" as anyone under a mental health provider's care, and "counseling" as communication intended to help a client achieve their self-determined goals. It also defines "sexual orientation change efforts" as any counseling seeking to reduce or eliminate same-sex attractions and "aversion therapy" as counseling involving physical pain to change sexual behaviors or gender identity, explicitly stating that this act cannot be used to justify subjecting clients to aversion therapy. Furthermore, the bill allows mental health providers to engage in sexual orientation change efforts with minors and grants providers, patients, or clients whose freedom of speech in counseling is violated the right to legal recourse, including attorney fees and costs.