Sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts.

The entire Section 340.51 of the Code of Civil Procedure was removed. This section would have established extended statutes of limitations (22 years for minors, 10 years for adults, plus a 5-year discovery period), a causation framework allowing expert testimony and scientific literature to establish harm, recovery of economic and noneconomic damages plus punitive damages and attorney's fees, and revival of time-barred claims arising from conduct on or after January 1, 2009.

The bill title was narrowed from 'An act to amend Sections 865, 865.1, and 865.2 of the Business and Professions Code, and to add Section 340.51 to the Code of Civil Procedure' to simply 'An act to amend Sections 865, 865.1, and 865.2 of the Business and Professions Code.'

Minor language edits in the legislative findings: the APA quote no longer includes the phrase 'homosexual orientation' (now reads simply 'sexual orientation'), and the finding about transgender status was reworded from 'gender identity being transgender is not a disorder' to 'being transgender is not a disorder.'

The severability clause, previously Section 6 of the amended assembly version, was renumbered as Section 5 in the enrolled version following the removal of the civil liability section.

The definition of 'sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts' now requires that the practices occur 'during the provision of mental health services,' which narrows the scope of covered conduct. The sexual orientation prong was simplified from 'eliminating, reducing, or discouraging' to 'reducing or increasing.' The gender identity prong was changed from 'eliminating, reducing, discouraging, or promoting any particular gender identity or gender expression' to 'altering, suppressing, or constraining the patient's gender identity or expression.'

A 'clinical social work intern' was added to the definition of 'mental health provider' in Section 865(a) of the Business and Professions Code, expanding the category of covered professionals.

A new exclusion (C) was added to the definition: counseling, psychotherapy, or other supportive services provided consistent with applicable standards of care that respect the gender identity of the patient as experienced and defined by the patient. This explicitly carves out gender-affirming care from the prohibited category.

The specific causation standard was changed. Previously, a defendant could defeat a claim only by proving the injury was caused 'solely by other factors unrelated to' the conversion efforts (a very high bar). Now, a defendant can defeat a claim by proving the efforts 'were not a substantial factor in causing the plaintiff's injury or illness,' which is a lower burden for defendants.

The new Code of Civil Procedure section was renumbered from 340.12 to 340.51, placing it immediately following Section 340.5 (which deals with the statute of limitations for professional negligence) rather than as a standalone section.

The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' meaning the bill now requires review by the Legislative Fiscal Committee before passage, indicating new or modified budgetary implications were identified.

A new legislative finding was added citing the 2023 United States Joint Statement Against Conversion Efforts, a consensus statement ratified by 28 professional medical and mental health associations, strengthening the evidentiary basis for the bill's premises.

The bill now amends Business and Professions Code Sections 865, 865.1, and 865.2 to replace the term 'sexual orientation change efforts' with 'sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts,' extending existing professional conduct prohibitions and discipline provisions to cover gender identity change efforts in addition to sexual orientation change efforts.

Assembly Member Lowenthal was added as a coauthor, and the fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the bill now has fiscal implications requiring committee review.

The definition of prohibited conduct was restructured from three subcategories (eliminate/reduce/discourage, create/promote/encourage, and gender identity efforts) into two broader categories: (A) reducing or increasing sexual or romantic attractions toward a particular sex, and (B) altering, suppressing, or constraining the patient's gender identity or expression.

The vicarious liability provision for employers was simplified. The old version required that the employer 'knew or had reason to know' the provider engaged in or was likely to engage in such efforts and failed to take reasonable steps. The new version removes this knowledge requirement, making any person or entity that employed a licensed mental health provider potentially liable for damages arising from such efforts.

The new Code of Civil Procedure section was renumbered from 340.12 to 340.51, placed immediately following Section 340.5 rather than as a standalone addition.

The revival provision in subdivision (g)(2) now explicitly limits revived claims to those 'arising from conduct that occurred, in whole or in part, on or after January 1, 2009.' Previously the statutory text had no such date floor, meaning claims from any time period could potentially be revived. This narrows the pool of people who can bring revived actions.

Subdivision (c)(2), which covers actions against entities that employed or supervised a provider, was revised with clarifying language about the employment relationship and the damages basis for the action.

The definition of 'licensed mental health provider' in subdivision (a)(1)(C) now includes 'associate marriage and family therapist' in addition to the previously listed categories. This expands the class of professionals who can be sued under this section.

The bill title no longer includes 'An act relating to healing arts,' removing a subject-matter heading that did not reflect the bill's actual content (a civil procedure statute of limitations provision).

The legislative counsel's digest was trimmed: it removed a paragraph describing existing law prohibiting SOCE with minors under 18 and a separate legislative intent paragraph, both of which are already stated in Section 1 of the bill itself.

The bill now contains an operative statute (new CCP Section 340.12) rather than merely stating legislative intent. It applies to actions commenced on or after January 1, 2027.

Defines 'sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts' to include efforts in both directions - making someone straight AND making someone gay or changing gender identity. Excludes nondirective psychotherapies and age-appropriate interventions for unlawful conduct.

Sets a statute of limitations: 22 years from majority if the plaintiff was under 18 at the time of conduct, 10 years from the last treatment session if 18 or older, or 5 years from discovery that the injury was caused by the efforts - whichever is later.

Extends liability beyond individual providers to any person or entity that employed, supervised, or exercised authority over a provider who knew or should have known about the conduct and failed to take reasonable preventive steps, as well as negligent hiring/supervision/retention claims.

Creates a special causation framework: general causation may be shown by expert testimony or scientific literature; once established, specific causation may be inferred from exposure plus matching injury type unless the defendant proves the injury was caused solely by unrelated factors.

Allows recovery of economic damages (medical expenses, lost earnings), noneconomic damages (pain and suffering, emotional distress), punitive damages for willful/oppressive/fraudulent/malicious conduct, and attorneys' fees and costs.

Revives claims that would otherwise be time-barred as of January 1, 2027. Revived claims may be commenced within three years of January 1, 2027 or within the statutory period in subdivision (b), whichever is later.

Adds a severability clause and a broad-interpretation directive stating the section should be interpreted broadly to effectuate its remedial purpose.