Court Blocks California Law Banning Gay Therapy

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal appeals court has put the brakes on a first-of-its-kind California law that bans therapy that aims to turn gay minors straight.

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued an emergency order Friday putting the law on hold until it can hear full arguments on the issue. The law was set to take effect Jan. 1.

Licensed counselors who practice so-called "reparative therapy" and two families who say their teenage sons have benefited from it sought the injunction after a lower court judge refused the request.

The California Legislature passed the law and Gov. Jerry Brown signed it in September. It would make mental health professionals who engage in efforts to change their clients' sexual orientations subject to discipline by state licensing boards.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.)