The Illinois House, on May 19, passed legislation 68-43 that protects minors from anti-gay "conversion therapy."
The bill, HB 217, or the Youth Mental Health Protection Act, was sponsored in the House by state Rep. Kelly Cassidy, and now moves to the state Senate, where it is sponsored by state Sen. Daniel Biss.
Sixty-one Democrats and seven Republicans voted in favor of the bill, which prohibits mental health providers from engaging in practices intending to change the sexual orientation of minors. It further prevents providers from intentionally advertising or marketing their services such that homosexuality is represented as a mental illness.
"I feel good about what will happen in the Senate," Cassidy said shortly after the vote. "In the House, we had Republican leadership on board with this, and it passed with no debate, plus we have a great sponsor in Daniel Biss."
Cassidy indicated that she had talked with Gov. Bruce Rauner about the bill. While Rauner did not say whether he would sign or not, he had also spoken with Curtis Galloway, a young man from downstate Benton who underwent conversion therapy and has spoken out against the practice.
"I think the governor was moved by what Curtis had to say," Cassidy said.
Meanwhile, also on May 19, U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu, D-CA, introduced legislation that would ban conversion therapy nationwide. Lieu was the first lawmaker to introduce such a ban three years ago, while a California state senator. President Obama has indicated he is in favor of such a ban.