Supreme Court Rules Colorado Ban On Conversion Therapy For Minors Violates Free Speech In Chiles v. Salazar

The Supreme Court of the United States ruled on March 31, 2026, that Colorado’s law banning conversion therapy for minors violates the First Amendment when applied to talk therapy. In Chiles v. Salazar, the Court found that the law regulates speech based on viewpoint and that lower courts applied the wrong level of constitutional scrutiny.

The 2019 Colorado law prohibits licensed counselors from engaging in practices intended to change a minor’s sexual orientation or gender identity, while allowing counseling that provides acceptance, support, and assistance with identity exploration and gender transition.

The plaintiff, licensed counselor Kaley Chiles, challenged . . .