[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Scranton 4-6-2021 by Ord. No. 61-2021. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter,
shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where
the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Any practice or treatment that seeks to convert one's
sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, including efforts
to change behaviors, or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic
attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same sex. The term
does not include practices or treatments that do not seek to change
a person's sexual orientation or gender identity and that provide
assistance to a person undergoing gender transition or that provide
acceptance, support, and understanding of clients or facilitate clients'
coping, social support, and identity exploration and development,
including sexual-orientation-neutral interventions to prevent or address
unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices.
An individual who is licensed, certified or registered under
the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to provide, to an individual
or a group, mental health services, including, but not limited to,
the assessment or improvement of mental, emotional, psychiatric, psychological,
or psychosocial adjustment or functioning, regardless of whether there
is a diagnosable, preexisting disorder or disease. Mental health professionals
include, but are not limited to, physicians specializing in the practice
of psychiatry, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, licensed
clinical social workers, professional clinical counselors, behavioral
clinicians or therapists, nurses, or any other persons offering such
mental health service.
A person less than 18 years of age.
No mental health professional shall engage, within the geographic
boundaries of the City of Scranton, in conversion therapy with a minor
without regard to whether the mental health professional is compensated
or receives any form of remuneration for his or her services.
A.
Any person violating any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction
thereof in a summary proceeding, be sentenced for each violation and
required to pay a fine as follows:
(1)
For the first violation of this chapter within a twelve-month period:
$250;
(2)
For the second violation of this chapter within a twelve-month period:
$500;
(3)
For the third violation of this chapter within a twelve-month period:
$750; and
(4)
For each violation subsequent to three violations of this chapter
within a twelve-month period: $1,000.
B.
In addition to any other remedy provided in this chapter, the City
may institute proceedings to restrain any violation of, or to require
compliance with, this chapter.
If any sentence, clause, section or part of this chapter is,
for any reason, found to be unconstitutional, illegal or invalid,
such unconstitutionality, illegality or invalidity shall not affect
or impair any of the remaining provisions, sentences, clauses, sections
or parts hereof. It is hereby declared as the intent of Council of
the City of Scranton that this chapter would have been adopted had
such unconstitutional, illegal or invalid sentence, clause, section
or part thereof not been included herein.
All relevant ordinances, regulations, and policies of the City
of Scranton not amended shall remain in full force and effect.
All ordinances, regulations, and policies of the City of Scranton
or parts thereof conflicting with any provisions of this chapter are
hereby repealed insofar as the same affects this chapter.
This chapter shall be effective immediately upon passage and
approved in the manner prescribed by Article V of the Home Rule Charter.
