Colorado Governor Signs Conversion Therapy Ban

DENVER (CBS4) -- Psychotherapy that seeks to change minors' sexual orientation or gender identity is now illegal in Colorado. Gov. Jared Polis signed the ban into law on Friday during a Capitol ceremony.

Psychology's governing bodies have denounced so-called conversion therapy, which treats being gay or transgender as a mental illness. Research shows it increases the risk of suicide, drug abuse and depression among teens.

Polis, who is gay, says he's thrilled to launch LGBTQ Pride Month in June by outlawing what he calls a "tortuous practice" harming children.

Colorado becomes the 18th U.S. state - and the fourth this year - to ban conversion therapy.

Polis also signed into law a bill making it much easier for transgender Coloradans to update the gender on their birth certificates, identification documents and driver's licenses. Jude's Law will allow Coloradans to update their gender on their birth certificate to M, F or X without a surgery, a doctor's note, or court order -- allowing trans people the ability to self-identify. Colorado is one of three states in the country (along with California and Oregon) to have non-binary gender options for both driver's licenses and birth certificates.

"Versions of these bills were first introduced in 2015, and were previously sent to kill committees in the Republican-controlled Senate after passing the House," said officials with One Colorado, an advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Coloradans. "This year, both bills passed with bipartisan support in both chambers."

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)