PROHIBITION OF CONVERSION THERAPY

Denver Revised Municipal Code ch. 28, art. IX

in effect

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 28-254 Findings.

Sec. 28-254. - Findings. Medical, mental health, and child welfare experts have denounced conversion therapy or reparative therapy as ineffective, unreliable and unsafe for the people, including LGBTQ minors, who undergo such treatment. Conversion therapies or reparative therapies are based on the discredited premise that being LGBTQ is a mental disorder that can be cured or corrected. LGBTQ people must be free from ineffective and fraudulent conversion treatments that cause harm to mental health and wellbeing. Based on the foregoing, and due to the serious and dangerous harms caused to minors subjected to conversion therapy or reparative therapy, the city council finds and declares that a compelling interest exists in protecting the health and psychological well-being of minors by protecting them, including LGBTQ minors, from conversion therapy in the city and by limiting the risk of serious harm to LGBTQ minors caused by the exposure to conversion therapy. (Ord. No. 1508-18, § 1, 1-7-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 28-255 Purpose.

Sec. 28-255. - Purpose. This article is an exercise of police power of the city for the public safety, health, and welfare; and its provisions shall be liberally construed to accomplish that purpose. The purpose of this article is to protect the health and well-being LGBTQ minors from being exposed to the serious harms caused by conversion therapy and to provide a method of enforcement exclusively through administrative citations for non-criminal violations. (Ord. No. 1508-18, § 1, 1-7-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 28-256 Definitions.

Sec. 28-256. - Definitions. The following words and terms when used in this article shall have the following meanings: (a) Agency means the agency for human rights and community partnerships. (b) Director means the agency's duly appointed executive director or the director's designee. (c) Conversion therapy or reparative therapy means any practice or treatment that seeks to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender. Conversion therapy shall not include counseling that provides support and assistance to a person undergoing gender transition, or counseling that provides acceptance, support, and understanding of a person or facilitates a person's coping, social support, and development, including sexual orientation-neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices, as long as such counseling does not seek to change sexual orientation or gender identity. (d) Sexual orientation means a component of identity that includes a person's sexual and emotional attraction to another person and the behavior and/or social affiliation that may result from this attraction. A person may be attracted to men, women, both, neither, or to people who are genderqueer, androgynous, or have other gender identities. Individuals may identify as lesbian, gay, heterosexual, bisexual, queer, pansexual, or asexual, among others. (e) Gender identity means a person's sense of oneself as a man, woman, or something else. When a person's gender identity or gender expression and sex assigned at birth are not congruent, the individual may identify along the transgender spectrum. (f) Gender expression means a person's expression of gender identity through appearance and behavior including how an individual believes that he or she is perceived by others. (g) Minor means any person under eighteen (18) years of age. (h) Provider means any licensed medical or mental health professional including but not limited to licensed mental health counselors, mental health counselor associates, marriage and family therapists, marriage and family therapist associates, social workers, and social worker associates, and any physicians, psychologists, psychotherapist, certified chemical dependency professionals, certified chemical dependency professional trainees, counselors, certified counselors, and certified advisers. (Ord. No. 1508-18, § 1, 1-7-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 28-257 Prohibited practices.

Sec. 28-257. - Prohibited practices. (a) It shall be unlawful for any provider to provide conversion therapy or reparative therapy to a minor, regardless of whether the provider receives compensation in exchange for such services. (b) Any violation of subsection (a) of this section is hereby declared to be a non-criminal violation, and upon an admission or finding or judgment of guilt or liability by default or otherwise, the violator shall be subject to the following maximum penalties: (1) First violation: One hundred fifty dollars ($150.00). (2) Second violation: Five hundred dollars ($500.00). (3) Third and each subsequent violation: Nine hundred ninety-nine dollars ($999.00). (Ord. No. 1508-18, § 1, 1-7-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 28-258 Powers and duties.

Sec. 28-258. - Powers and duties. The powers and duties of the agency are to: (a) Perform all tasks and responsibilities necessary and proper to enforce and carry out the provisions and purposes of this article. (b) Receive, investigate, and make determinations on complaints of violations of this article. (c) Prescribe and furnish all forms in conformity with the purposes of this article and containing the information required by the provisions this article. (d) Adopt and enforce such rules and regulations as it deems necessary and proper for the administration and enforcement of this article. (Ord. No. 1508-18, § 1, 1-7-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 28-259 Enforcement; administrative citations.

Sec. 28-259. - Enforcement; administrative citations. (a) Complaints. Complaints of violations may be filed with, and on forms prescribed by, the director containing the following information and any additional information the director may prescribe by rules and regulations: (1) The name and address of the provider responsible for the violation; (2) The date and approximate time of the violation; (3) The address or location where the violation was observed; (4) A statement setting forth the facts supporting the charge of violation; (5) The name and address of the person reporting the violation, as well as the name and address of the involved minor; and (6) A declaration that the information on the complaint of violation is accurate and truthful made under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Colorado. (b) Incomplete complaints. The director shall review each complaint for completeness. If the director deems any complaint filed under this section to be incomplete, the director shall accept such complaint on a conditional basis and shall notify the complaining party by mail, telephone, or email with respect to any deficiencies found. If the deficiencies are not corrected within the time frame reasonably established by the director, the director will dismiss the complaint and not send any notice to the respondent provider. (c) Investigation and notices: If the director deems a complaint to be complete, the director shall investigate the violations alleged and issue an: (1) Advisory letter. After the director has completed the investigation, the director may, as the director deems appropriate, issue an advisory letter notifying the provider that provision of conversion therapy and reparative therapy is prohibited and immediate compliance is required, and explaining the applicable enforcement procedures and monetary penalties under this article for violations; or (2) Administrative citation. If the director determines the provider has violated section 28-256, the director may issue an administrative citation in accordance with article XII of chapter 2 of this code, including a determination of the amount of the penalty imposed for the violation, and any implementing rules and regulations adopted by the agency. (d) Response to administrative citation. A provider must respond to the administrative citation by: (1) Paying the amount of the monetary penalty specified in the administrative citation, in which case the record shall show a finding that the person cited committed the violation; or (2) Appealing the citation and seeking an administrative hearing in accordance with section 2-286 of article XII of chapter 2. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in article XII of chapter 2, the issues to be decided at the hearing shall be limited to those that are raised in writing in the response to the citation and that are within the jurisdiction of the administrative hearing officer appointed by the director to hear the appeal. (e) Definitions. (1) Enforcement officials. The director is the "enforcement official" who may issue an administrative citation in accordance with this article, article XII of chapter 2 of this Code, and any implementing regulations. (2) Responsible party. A provider identified in an administrative citation is a "responsible party" subject to enforcement and administrative penalties under this article, article XII of chapter 2 of this Code, and any implementing regulations. (Ord. No. 1508-18, § 1, 1-7-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 28-260 Confidentiality; records.

Sec. 28-260. - Confidentiality; records. Except in accordance with a judicial order or as otherwise provided by law, the director, and those working under the director's supervision, shall not divulge the name, address, or other identifying information of the person reporting the violation or the involved minor. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, any authorized agent of the city, including the city auditor or the auditor's representative, has the right to access and the right to examine any pertinent records collected under this program. Complaints, completed forms, responses, and other documentation furnished to or prepared by the agency shall be preserved until final disposition of the charge. (Ord. No. 1508-18, § 1, 1-7-19)

Denver Revised Municipal Code § 28-261 Severability.

Sec. 28-261. - Severability. If any part, term, or provision of this article is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal or in conflict with any law of the State of Colorado, the validity of the remaining portions or provisions shall not be affected, and the rights, obligations and enforcement of this article shall be continued in full force and effect as if the article did not contain the particular part, term, or provision held to be invalid. (Ord. No. 1508-18, § 1, 1-7-19)

Source: City and County of Denver, Revised Municipal Code and Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/co/denver/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIIREMUCO_CH28HURI_ARTIXPRCOTHFetched: 10/27/2026