A bill that would forbid therapists in Colorado from trying to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of a person under 18 passed an initial voice vote yesterday in the state House of Representatives, the AP reports:

The sponsor of the bill, Democratic Rep. Paul Rosenthal (right), a gay lawmaker from Denver, said the goal is for therapists to help youth pursue acceptance and support for who they are.

"Helping the youth explore their identity — who they are, not who the therapist thinks they are or who the therapist thinks they should be,” he said.

The Denver Post adds:

House Republican leader Brian DelGrosso, R-Loveland, said legislators should consider the potential unintended consequences and predicaments for well-meaning therapists.

"The way I read this bill is that if you're a kid who's confused, it would be legal for me to talk to you about going toward the same sex, but illegal for me to counsel you toward an opposite-sex attraction," he said.

The bill faces a final vote of approval before being sent to the Senate, currently controlled 18-17 by Republicans.

Similar bans on conversion therapy for minors exist in New Jersey, California, and Washington D.C.