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Kansas Attorney General Orders Cities to Rewrite Conversion-Therapy Bans
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Kansas AG Demands Repeal of Local Conversion-Therapy Bans
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach sent formal letters to the city councils of Roeland Park, Prairie Village, and Lawrence, giving each municipality 60 days to rescind ordinances that prohibit conversion therapy. In the letters, Kobach argued that the bans constitute “viewpoint discrimination” under the First Amendment, citing the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Chiles v. Salazar, which held that a comparable Colorado law violated free-speech protections.
Legal Background: Supreme Court Ruling and Prior Bans
The Supreme Court’s ruling in *Chiles v. Salazar* (2025) determined that prohibitions on conversion therapy limit a single viewpoint, thereby conflicting with constitutional free-speech guarantees. Prior to the ruling, Roeland Park enacted its ban in 2020 and Prairie Village in 2021; the neighboring city of Lawrence adopted a similar prohibition in 2021 as well. Major medical bodies—including the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association—have consistently condemned conversion therapy as harmful and ineffective.
City Ordinance Revisions
Rather than eliminate the bans entirely, Roeland Park and Prairie Village rewrote their ordinances to be “viewpoint neutral.” The revised language now bars therapists from guaranteeing predetermined outcomes for clients, regardless of a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Official Reactions
Kobach’s letters framed the existing bans as unconstitutional, while city officials emphasized a compromise that preserves client protections without singling out a particular viewpoint. The Lawrence City Commission has scheduled a discussion of potential ordinance changes for the coming months, indicating that the issue remains under active local review.
Future Outlook
The 60-day deadline set by the Attorney General places the three cities on a tight timetable to adjust their regulations. Legal scholars anticipate further litigation to clarify the scope of the Supreme Court’s decision, and municipalities across Kansas may face similar pressures to align local policies with the federal ruling.