Conversion Therapy Ban Case Tests Traditional State Police Power

A therapist’s challenge to Colorado’s ban on treatment the state says harms LGBTQ+ youths may seem like just the next battle in the culture wars, but the case presents the US Supreme Court with an opportunity to reexamine the lines between a state’s regulatory authority and the First Amendment.

The case set for oral arguments Tuesday could have a sweeping impact depending on the outcome, said Suzanne Goldberg, a professor at Columbia Law School. Much depends on whether the justices are open to “invading” states’ traditional police powers or whether they will defer as usual when it comes to ...