2 Christian Counselors Sue Wisconsin Over Conversion Therapy Ban After 8-1 SCOTUS Ruling
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 13
2 Christian Counselors Sue Wisconsin Over Conversion Therapy Ban After 8-1 SCOTUS Ruling
4 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 13
Terri Koschnick and Joy Buchman filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block Wisconsin from enforcing a rule that treats conversion therapy as unprofessional conduct for licensed counselors and therapists.
The complaint says Wisconsin’s rule is materially identical to Colorado’s law struck by the Supreme Court in an 8-1 ruling, which found limits on talk therapy triggered heightened scrutiny because they regulated speech by viewpoint.
The two counselors say they provide voluntary faith-based counseling and argue the Wisconsin rule violates their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights, while also being vague and unenforceable.
Gov. Tony Evers said in a May 5 letter he has no intention of repealing the ban, calling opponents’ reading of the Supreme Court decision a significant misinterpretation and describing conversion therapy as ineffective or dangerous.
About two dozen states and Washington, D.C., had similar laws when the Chiles ruling came down, setting up broader legal fights over whether such bans regulate professional conduct or protected speech.
After a court ruling on therapy speech, can states still protect minors from what medical experts call a harmful practice?
Does protecting a counselor's free speech create a loophole for professional malpractice or misinformation to thrive?