Kern purportedly removes “shock therapy” from callous bill

By Robin Dorner
Editor in Chief

 As reported earlier today, a bill that prohibits state oversight and regulation of the practice of so-called “conversion therapy" will be heard in front of a special committee at the Oklahoma House tomorrow. (http://www.gayly.com/unregulated-conversion-therapy-could-become-oklahom...)

However, since that report, The Gayly has learned that the bill was to be amended by Rep. Kern today, shortly after Freedom Oklahoma and supporters held “Equality Day” at the Oklahoma State Capitol.

The committee scheduled to hear the bill is the “Children, Youth, and Family Services Committee” and is chaired by none-other than bill author, Rep. Kern. HB 1598’s amendment is not yet published online, but purportedly will remove the use of physical pain and electroshock therapy on children.

“When a legislator has to amend a bill because its previous version includes the carte blanche to inflict physical pain and electroshock therapy on children, you know we have a problem at the Capitol,” said Troy Stevenson, Executive Director of Freedom Oklahoma. “Rep. Kern may have taken the overt right to physically torture a child out of HB 1598, but it still offers unprecedented protection to child-abusers – by removing the state’s oversight authority over licensed therapists. Our duty is to protect our youth, not to put them in harms way.”

A statement from Freedom Oklahoma this afternoon included, “This amendment is a de facto admission that this legislation protects the perpetrators of child-abuse and prohibits State oversight and regulation that every other type of therapy is subjected to - essentially giving special rights to practitioners of an extremely controversial practice – considered disavowed by all major medical and psychological associations. While respected and evidenced practices are heavily regulated.”

State and national professional organizations from the fields of social work, psychology, and medicine – including the Oklahoma Chapters of the National Association of Social Workers, the National Association of School Psychologists, the American Counseling Association, the Mental Health Association of Oklahoma, The American Psychological Association, the Oklahoma Nurses Association have joined with Freedom Oklahoma, the ACLU of Oklahoma, The National Center for Lesbian Rights, and the Human Rights Campaign in condemning Rep. Sally Kern’s HB 1598. And have provided in person and written testimony to the Committee.

Published, The Gayly 2/23/2015 @5:30pm.