A. A person licensed pursuant to provisions of Chapter 61 NMSA 1978 shall not provide conversion therapy to any person under eighteen years of age. The provision of conversion therapy in violation of the provisions of this subsection shall be grounds for disciplinary action by a board in accordance with the provisions of the Uniform Licensing Act.

B. As used in this section:

(1) "conversion therapy" means any practice or treatment that seeks to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity, including any effort to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward persons of the same sex. "Conversion therapy" does not mean:

(a) counseling or mental health services that provide acceptance, support and understanding of a person without seeking to change gender identity or sexual orientation; or

(b) mental health services that facilitate a person's coping, social support, sexual orientation or gender identity exploration and development, including an intervention to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices, without seeking to change gender identity or sexual orientation;

(2) "gender identity" means a person's self-perception, or perception of that person by another, of the person's identity as a male or female based upon the person's appearance, behavior or physical characteristics that are in accord with or opposed to the person's physical anatomy, chromosomal sex or sex at birth; and

(3) "sexual orientation" means heterosexuality, homosexuality or bisexuality, whether actual or perceived.

History: Laws 2017, ch. 132, § 1.

Effective dates. — Laws 2017, ch. 132 contained no effective date provision, but, pursuant to N.M. Const., art. IV, § 23, was effective June 16, 2017, 90 days after the adjournment of the legislature.