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Committee advances bill extending malpractice remedies for survivors of conversion therapy
Summary
SB 934 would extend statutes of limitation and allow courts to consider scientific literature in malpractice claims arising from licensed-provider conversion therapy; survivors urged passage while clinicians and some groups warned it could chill legitimate exploratory therapy and raise procedural fairness issues.
SB 934 drew extensive testimony as the committee considered whether survivors of licensed-provider conversion therapy should have extended time and clearer rules to pursue malpractice claims.
Senator Wiener said conversion therapy is ‘‘quackery’’ and described the bill as a narrow measure to extend the statute of limitations and allow courts to consider scientific causation evidence in malpractice proceedings. He said the change does not create a new cause of action and aims to allow survivors whose harm manifests years later to seek redress.
Curtis Lopez Galloway, founder of the Conversion Therapy Survivor Network, told the committee: “It was the worst experience of my life,” and said many survivors cannot bring claims within current time limits. Christopher Stoll of the National Center for LGBTQ Rights said the bill aligns with existing legal approaches to latent harms and urged passage.
Opposition witnesses — including clinicians and groups representing therapists and some detransitioned patients — warned the measure’s language could chill nondirective exploratory therapy and make ordinary clinical practice legally risky. Speakers raised concerns about records retention, the 2009 cutoff date, and whether the bill’s definition clearly distinguishes permissible counseling from directional change efforts.
Committee members asked for continued technical conversations with local governments and provider organizations; the bill was moved to appropriations after discussion.
The committee recorded votes and signaled that further drafting on record-keeping and definitions may be needed before floor action.
