California's gay therapy law left intact by Supreme Court

WASHINGTON (KGO) -- The Supreme Court has upheld a California law that bans mental counseling aimed at converting the sexual orientation of gay minors.

Liberty Counsel, a Christian legal aid group, had challenged the law. They claimed it violated the free speech rights of licensed counselors and their patients and argued that lawmakers have no scientific proof the therapy does harm.

But last year the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with lawmakers that efforts to change sexual orientation were outside the scientific mainstream and have been rejected for good reason.

On Monday, Supreme Court justices let that ruling stand.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)