Youth's Lives Every Day
New law amends Colorado’s existing prohibition to address First Amendment concerns raised in Chiles v. Salazar – and goes further to extend the statute of limitations for survivors to bring medical malpractice claims
May 8, 2026 — Yesterday, the Colorado General Assembly passed HB26-1322, legislation that updates Colorado’s longstanding prohibition on conversion therapy to be viewpoint-neutral, directly responding to the concerns raised by the U.S. Supreme Court in Chiles v. Salazar. The new law preserves Colorado’s ban on this discredited and harmful practice while bringing the statute into alignment with the Supreme Court’s First Amendment guidance.
The Supreme Court’s March 31 decision in Chiles v. Salazar did not say that conversion therapy is safe, effective, or legal. The medical consensus that conversion therapy causes serious psychological harm to young people remains undisturbed — a point not contested by any Justice. Instead, the Court’s concern was a specific First Amendment issue: that Colorado’s prior statute, as applied to talk therapy, regulated a licensed therapist’s speech based on the viewpoint expressed. Colorado has moved swiftly to address that concern.
Under HB26-1322, the definition of conversion therapy is amended to prohibit a licensed mental health professional from seeking to impose a predetermined outcome on a minor patient with respect to sexual orientation or gender identity, regardless of the direction of that outcome. A therapist may not steer a young person toward any predetermined identity — the prohibition applies evenhandedly. This change ensures the law regulates a category of substandard professional conduct rather than any particular viewpoint, squarely addressing the basis for the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Statement from Casey Pick, Senior Director of Law & Policy at The Trevor Project: “Following the decision in Chiles v. Salazar, we said that our fight to end conversion therapy in this country was far from over – and we meant it. This new law amends Colorado’s existing protections to address the critiques highlighted by the Supreme Court’s recent decision and, importantly, declares that mental health professionals who abuse the sacred trust placed in them will not be protected from malpractice claims by the years of shame and silence caused by conversion therapy. Just as importantly, this new law serves as a powerful deterrent that may prevent fringe practitioners from subjecting LGBTQ+ youth to these debunked practices in the first place. 41% of LGBTQ+ youth living in Colorado said they seriously attempted suicide in the past year – and we’ve long known that being subjected to conversion therapy can double the likelihood of reporting a past-year suicide attempt among these youth.
“The data could not be clearer: if we end these junk practices, we will save young people’s lives. We are grateful to the lawmakers and advocates who have worked tirelessly to advance this legislation, and remind LGBTQ+ young people in Colorado – and every community across the U.S. – that they deserve to feel safe, seen, and supported exactly as they are.”
Statement from Nadine Bridges, Executive Director at One Colorado:
“Colorado’s story is still being written, and today we took another step toward becoming a state where LGBTQIA+ people can live openly, safely, and fully as themselves. HB26-1322 strengthens protections for survivors of conversion therapy by recognizing the lasting harm these practices cause and expanding pathways to justice. We are especially grateful for the leadership of Representatives Valdez and McCormick and Senators Mullica and Cutter, alongside the advocates and lawmakers who continue to champion progress.
“This victory belongs to the survivors, advocates, and community members who refused to let this issue be forgotten. Together, we continue building a Colorado rooted in dignity, healing, and belonging for all! We are now looking forward to Governor Polis signing this legislation into law and seeing its impact across our state.”
Statement from Shannon Minter, Legal Director at the National Center for LGBTQ Rights:
“At the end of March, the U.S. Supreme Court gave specific guidance about how to amend conversion therapy laws to be viewpoint-neutral so that these protections can remain in place, helping to protect youth before they are harmed. Given the urgency of this issue and the danger that conversion therapy poses to youth, Colorado moved swiftly. Today this legislation is moving to the desk of Governor Polis and will protect Colorado’s youth and families from this discredited practice.
“Additionally, in the lead up to the Supreme Court decision in Chiles v. Salazar, the increased focus and attention on the harms of conversion therapy resulted in Colorado and other states actually going above and beyond current protections to extend the statute of limitations in these cases to ensure that survivors have adequate time to process this trauma and bring malpractice claims.”
The new law also independently strengthens accountability for harm already inflicted. Recognizing that survivors of conversion therapy often need years — sometimes decades — to recognize and process the trauma caused by the practice, HB26-1322 extends the statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims against licensed therapists who engaged in conversion therapy. This extension applies specifically to malpractice claims arising from conversion therapy and reflects the established understanding in trauma research that delayed recognition of harm is the rule, not the exception.
Together, these two reforms — a viewpoint-neutral prohibition that keeps the ban in place, and an extended window for survivors to seek accountability through the established medical malpractice framework — reaffirm Colorado’s commitment to protecting young people from a practice condemned by the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and every other major U.S. medical and mental health organization.
Research demonstrating the harms of conversion therapy:
- Conversion therapy is associated with an extensive list of long-lasting social and emotional consequences, including: depression, anxiety, suicidality, substance abuse, a range of post-traumatic responses, loss of connection to community, damaged familial relationships, self-blame, guilt, and shame.
- Trevor Project’s 2024 “50 State Report” found that 41% of LGBTQ+ youth living in Colorado reported that they seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, and 14% were threatened with or subjected to conversion therapy.
- Research shows that LGBTQ+ youth who experienced conversion therapy are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide and more than 2.5 times as likely to report multiple suicide attempts in the past year.
- The Trevor Project released a report in December 2023 that identified more than 1,300 active conversion therapy practitioners across the U.S.
- Every major medical and mental health association in the United States has condemned conversion therapy, including The American Psychiatric Association, The American Psychological Association, and The American Medical Association.
- Most Americans reject conversion therapy, and support efforts to protect LGBTQ+ youth from its harms. 2025 polling data found that a majority of adults in the United States (56%) think conversion therapy should be illegal to use on minors.
One Colorado is Colorado’s leading LGBTQIA+ advocacy organization. We are advancing equity and freedom for our LGBTQIA+ community through state policy, advocacy, health care, and education. We progress the lived and legal equality for LGBTQIA+ Coloradans to ensure our community’s voices are heard and represented within halls of power—so that every Coloradan has the opportunity to thrive.
The National Center for LGBTQ Rights (NCLR) is a national legal organization committed to advancing the human and civil rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education. Since its founding, NCLR has maintained a longstanding commitment to racial and economic justice and the LGBTQ community’s most vulnerable. www.nclrights.org
The Trevor Project is the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people.
If you or someone you know needs help or support, The Trevor Project’s trained crisis counselors are available 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386, via chat at TheTrevorProject.org/Get-Help, or by texting START to 678678.
