Efforts to Change Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, or Expression.
Columbus City Codes § 2331.10
in effect2331.10 - Efforts to Change Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, or Expression.
(A) The following definitions apply in this section:
(1) "Conversion therapy" means any treatment that aims to change sexual orientation or to convert an individual who identifies with a gender or expresses a gender other than the gender assigned at birth to the originally assigned gender.
(2) "Mental health professional" means an individual who is licensed, certified or registered under the laws of the State of Ohio to provide, to an individual or a group, mental health services, including but not limited to, the assessment or improvement of mental, emotional, psychiatric, psychological, or psychosocial adjustment or functioning, regardless of whether there is a diagnosable, pre-existing disorder or disease. Mental health professionals include, but are not limited to, physicians specializing in the practice of psychiatry, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, licensed social workers, professional clinical counselors, behavioral clinicians or therapists, nurses, or any other persons offering such mental health services.
(3) "Minor" means a person less than eighteen (18) years of age.
(4) "Reparative therapy" has the same meaning as the definition of conversion therapy contained in this chapter.
(5) "Sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression change efforts" means conversion therapy, reparative therapy or any other practices that seek to change an individual's sexual orientation or to change gender identity or expression to a gender other than that with which the individual personally identifies, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions, or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same sex. "Sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts" does not include psychotherapies or therapeutic activities that provide acceptance, support, and understanding for an individual or the facilitation of an individual's coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, including sexual orientation-neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices, and psychotherapies that do not seek to change sexual orientation or to change gender identity to a gender other than that with which the individual personally identifies.
(B) No mental health professional shall knowingly engage, within the geographic boundaries of the City of Columbus, in sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts with a minor, without regard to whether the mental health professional is compensated or receives any form of remuneration for the mental health professional's services.
(C) Whoever violates Section 2331.10 is guilty of a misdemeanor. The court shall sentence the offender to a minimum fine of $500 up to a maximum fine of $1,000 per occurrence and notwithstanding the terms of imprisonment set forth in Chapter 2929 of the Ohio Revised Code, a jail term not to exceed one (1) year.
(D) Upon conviction of a violation of Section 2331.10, the relevant licensing board, commission, or entity tasked with review of professional conduct shall be notified of the aforementioned violation.
(E) If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section or part of this law or the application thereof, to any person, individual, corporation, firm, partnership, entity or circumstance, shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unconstitutional such order of judgment shall not affect, impair, or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section or part of this law or its application to the person, individual, corporation, firm, partnership, entity, or circumstances directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment or order shall be rendered.
(Ord. No. 0525-2017, § 1, 3-27-2017; Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021)
Source: City of Columbus, City Codes and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/oh/columbus/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT23GEOFCO_CH2331DIPRCIRIDI_2331.10EFCHSEORGEIDEXFetched: 10/27/2026