photo by: City of Lawrence
Commissioner Jennifer Ananda, left, discusses a proposed ordinance to prohibit the practice of conversion therapy for minors with Assistant City Attorney Maria Garcia.
After disagreement regarding how to handle counseling provided by members of religious organizations, city leaders have deferred their vote on an ordinance that would ban so-called conversion therapy that aims to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission voted 4-1, with Commissioner Jennifer Ananda opposed, to defer a vote on ordinance 9828, which would prohibit the practice of conversion therapy for minors. At issue was whether the ordinance should specifically single out clergy as being an exception to the ordinance. City legal staff said the exception had been included to avoid legal challenges based on the First Amendment, which protects religious freedoms.