388E019F32A5438E872583C1006C26C2 Hearing Summary

Senator Fenberg, sponsor, presented House Bill 19-1129 to the committee.  The bill prohibits a physician specializing in psychiatry or a licensed, certified, or registered mental health provider from performing conversion therapy on a patient under the age of 18.

Lindsay Callahan, representing the Family Resource Network, testified in support of the bill.

Owen Zeigler, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Francis Lyon, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. He provided a handout to the committee (Attachment A).

Brad Reubendale, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Brad Bergford, representing the Colorado Chapter of the National Lawyers Association and the Commission for the Protection of Constitutional Rights, testified against the bill.

Dr. Marc Barnes, representing himself, testified against the bill.

Stephen Black, representing Faith and Liberty Coalition and First Stone Ministries, testified against the bill. He provided a packet to committee members (Attachment B).

David Pickup, representing himself, testified against the bill. He provided a packet of information to committee members (Attachment C).

Mr. Bergford responded to committee member questions.

Cindy Gordon, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Jody Ryan, representing Mental Health Center of Denver and the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Sarah Burgamy, representing the Colorado Psychological Association, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Laura Knudtson, representing the Colorado Psychological Association, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Burgamy and Dr. Ryan responded to committee member questions.

Philip Frieze, representing Glory to Glory Christian Church, testified against the bill.

Devin Ells, representing himself, testified against the bill.

Anne Paulk, representing Restored Hope Network, testified against the bill.

Raenel Breucop, representing herself, testified against the bill.

Cynthia Coffman, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Carolyn Martin, representing herself, testified against the bill.

Deborah Dooley, representing herself, testified against the bill.

Fr. Matthew Hartley, representing the Catholic Church, testified against the bill and provided a written copy of his testimony (Attachment D).

Rigo Mendez, representing Colorado Family Action, testified against the bill.

The previous panel responded to committee member questions.

Darin Smith, representing the Colorado LGBT Bar Association, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Robert Werthwein, representing the Office of Behavioral Health, Colorado Department of Human Services, testified in support of the bill.

Benjamin Waters, representing the Colorado LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, testified in support of the bill.

Jill Wildenberg read testimony from Morgan Caruthers Fletcher, representing the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, in support of the bill.

Sue Torfin, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Heather Lundy Nelson, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Tabbitha Cardinal, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Sam Brinton, representing the Trevor Project, testified in support of the bill.

Joseph Shelton, representing Inside Out Youth Services, testified in support of the bill.

Johnny Hultzapple, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Daniel Ramos, representing One Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Matthew Shurka, representing the Born Perfect Campaign, testified in support of the bill.

Marty Rouse, representing the Human Rights Campaign, testified in support of the bill.  Committee members received a letter from the Human Rights Campaign (Attachment E).

Mr. Ramos responded to committee member questions.

Cherisse Davis, representing Mental Health Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Troy Miller, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Kathleen Boyer, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Kaelan Boyer, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Susan Marine, representing the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, testified in support of the bill.

Michael Watkins, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Talia Richard-Lande, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Bill Porter, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Kendall Ruhnow, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Patricia Cooper, representing the Colorado Women's Bar Association, testified in support of the bill.

Mariana Galvez, representing the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights, testified in support of the bill.

Karen Langsley, representing the LGBT Bar Association and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, testified in support of the bill.

Senator Fenberg wrapped up his presentation of the bill.

Committee members commented on the bill.