Senate Republicans Shut Down Debate on Conversion Therapy

Thursday, March 23rd, 2023 -- 5:01 PM

(Bob Hague, WRN) State Senate Republicans shut down debate on conversion therapy.

Republican legislation preventing the Evers administration from enacting rules prohibiting the practice was sent back to committee over protests of Democrats like Beloit’s Mark Spreitzer. “Every day that this bill sits in committee, conversion therapy hurts more kids.”

Like Spreitzer, Milwaukee Democrat Tim Carpenter is gay. “The bottom line in my opinion - fear, ignorance is winning on the Senate floor today, and I'm embarrassed by that.”

At the Capitol on Wednesday, state Senate Republicans shut down debate on conversion therapy. Spreitzer said, “Every day that this bill sits in committee allows the harmful practice of conversion therapy to continue in Wisconsin. As a gay man I was fortunate to be raised in a supportive environment, where I could figure out my sexual orientation. Nobody ever tried to send me to therapy to keep me from being gay.”

A partisan vote to return a bill to committee effectively shelves the issue for the remainder of the legislative session, meaning conversion therapy may continue in Wisconsin.

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