Wisconsin Republicans use a sneaky legislative move to keep conversion therapy legal

Instead of just passing a bill to allow conversion therapy, they used a weird legislative trick to get their way.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin have used a sneaky legislative maneuver this week to continue to prevent a ban on conversion therapy from going into effect.

At issue is a rule put in place by the state’s Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Counseling, and Social Work Examining Board that blocks mental health professionals from trying to turn LGBTQ+ minors straight and cis with a form of psychological torture known as conversion therapy.

The Republican-controlled Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules temporarily suspended the board’s conversion therapy ban in January.

Yesterday, Republicans brought a bill to the floor of the Wisconsin Assembly that would have stopped the board from banning conversion therapy. But instead of passing it, Republicans voted 61-35 to send it to a committee.

They were worried that if it passed, it would get vetoed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and the temporary suspension passed by the joint committee would be revoked. So by keeping the bill in limbo, they can keep the temporary suspension in place until…

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