Challenge to Florida City's Conversion Therapy Ban May Move Forward

In Vazzo v. City of Tampa, (MD FL, March 5, 2019), a Florida federal district court adopted a magistrate's recommendations (Jan. 30, 2019) concluding that plaintiffs had stated plausible free speech challenges, but dismissed plaintiffs' free exercise challenges, to Tampa, Florida's ban on providing conversion therapy to minors.  The court allowed plaintiffs to move ahead with claims that the ordinance is content-based, amounts to viewpoint discrimination and a prior restraint, and that it is unconstitutionally vague and overbroad.  It also allowed plaintiffs to move ahead with claims that the ordinance violates the right of their minor clients and constituents to receive information.  Plaintiffs also stated a plausible implied pre-emption claim under state law.