AN ACT relating to executive orders and declaring an emergency.
Create new sections of KRS Chapter 344 to define terms; prohibit discrimination against mental health care professionals, mental health care institutions, and ordained ministry for providing protected counseling services; prohibit discrimination against individuals for offering information, training, and referrals for protected counseling services; prohibit discrimination against parents and guardians who consent to their child receiving protected counseling services; prohibit reporting of a mental health care professional or mental health care institution to a hiring or licensing authority solely on the basis that it provides protected counseling services; prohibit a hiring or licensing authority from investigating a mental health care professional or mental health care institution solely on the basis that it provides protected counseling services; establish a civil cause of action for a person injured by a violation; provide that the Act may be cited as the Mental Health Counseling Protection Act; EMERGENCY.
2025 Regular Session
The Commonwealth, any of its agencies or political subdivisions [...] shall not: (a) Discriminate against any: 1. Mental health care professional or mental health care institution for providing protected counseling services; 2. Individual or organization that provides information, training, referrals, or other support for protected counseling services; 3. Parent or guardian of a child for consenting to the child receiving or helping the child receive protected counseling services; or 4. Ordained ministry or the denominational equivalent from providing protected counseling services.
"Protected counseling service" means counseling, talk therapy, or other speech based mental health service performed with the goal or purpose to relieve discomfort or distress caused by an individual's sex or romantic or sexual attraction, provided that the service involves no obscene materials or aversive treatments that inflict physical discomfort or pain, or require any lewd or lascivious conduct.
| date | time | type | location | description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-03-12 | 08:30 | Hearing | Annex Room 129 | Senate Committee On Health Services |
| 2025-02-27 | 12:00 | Hearing | Annex Room 154 | House Committee On State Government |
History
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 2025-03-11 | to Health Services (S) |
| 2025-03-11 | taken from Health Services (S) |
| 2025-03-11 | 1st reading |
| 2025-03-11 | returned to Health Services (S) |
| 2025-03-06 | received in Senate |
| 2025-03-06 | to Committee on Committees (S) |
| 2025-03-05 | floor amendments (4) and (5-title) filed |
| 2025-03-05 | 3rd reading, passed 77-18 with Floor Amendment (4) and Floor Amendment (5-title) |
| 2025-03-04 | floor amendments (1), (2-title) and (3) filed |
| 2025-02-28 | 2nd reading, to Rules |
| 2025-02-28 | posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 04, 2025 |
| 2025-02-27 | reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar |
| 2025-02-21 | to State Government (H) |
| 2025-02-13 | introduced in House |
| 2025-02-13 | to Committee on Committees (H) |