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STATEWIDE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
Conversion Therapy Laws After
Chiles v Salazar and Beyond
Updated: April 2026
The legal landscape protecting children from conversion therapy changed dramatically on March 31, 2026. This page tracks what that means for families and minors in every state, and what comes next.
Check Your State's Current Protections →
CT4F Conversion Therapy State Laws
What Happened: The Supreme Court's Ruling in Chiles v. Salazar
On March 31, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an 8-1 ruling in Chiles v. Salazar, 607 U.S. (2026). The case originated in Colorado, where a licensed professional counselor named Kaley Chiles challenged the state's 2019 Minor Conversion Therapy Law, a statute prohibiting licensed mental health professionals from subjecting minors to practices designed to change their sexual orientation or gender identity. Chiles argued the law violated her First Amendment right to free speech. Lower courts twice disagreed. The Supreme Court did not.
The Court determined that Colorado's ban needed to be evaluated under the highest constitutional standard: strict scrutiny. The case was sent back to the lower courts for reassessment under that elevated threshold.
The facts on these practices remain the same: every major U.S. medical and mental health authority still agrees conversion therapy is unethical, harmful, and associated with increased rates of suicidality, anxiety, and depression.
The ruling did not declare conversion therapy safe, effective, or appropriate. It did not overturn every state ban. But it opened a legal door that advocates and legal scholars say will be used aggressively in courtrooms across the country.
State-Specific Cases: Check Back for Updates
As legal challenges to state conversion therapy protections are filed in the aftermath of Chiles v. Salazar, this page will serve as a hub for tracking them. Individual state pages will be added as proceedings develop, each covering the specific law at issue, the nature of the challenge, the court handling the case, and the current status.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Chiles v. Salazar ruling mean conversion therapy bans are now illegal?
No. The Supreme Court's ruling did not strike down any conversion therapy ban. It ruled that Colorado's specific ban must be reviewed under a stricter legal standard and sent the case back to lower courts for that review. State bans in other states remain in effect unless and until a court strikes them down.
Which states currently ban conversion therapy for minors?
As of the Chiles ruling, more than two dozen states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws or policies limiting or prohibiting conversion therapy for minors. The legal status of those protections is now in flux. For the most current information on your state, visit our state-by-state conversion therapy laws page.
Will there be new legal challenges to state conversion therapy bans after this ruling?
Yes. Legal experts widely anticipate that the Chiles decision will prompt new First Amendment challenges to conversion therapy bans in states across the country. This page will track those proceedings as they are filed and decided.
Can conversion therapy practitioners now operate freely in states that had bans?
Not automatically. Existing bans remain in effect unless a court issues an injunction or strikes them down. However, the Chiles ruling gives legal challengers a significantly stronger argument than they previously had. Families should consult current resources and check this page for updates about their state.
Is conversion therapy still harmful even if these bans are weakened?
Yes. The legal question before the Supreme Court was about First Amendment speech protections, not about whether conversion therapy works or is safe. It does not work, and it is not safe. The medical consensus is clear, consistent, and unchanged by this ruling.