April 19, 2016 The Honorable Bill Haslam Governor State of Tennessee 1st Floor, State Capitol Nashville, TN 37243 Dear Governor Haslam: As Mayors concerned with discrimination, we urge you to veto Tennessee House Bill 1840, which would allow therapists to broadly discriminate against potential patients. In addition to violating the ethics of all major counseling professions, which prohibit unfair discrimination against patients, the bill legally sanctions intolerance in your state and needlessly places Tennessee residents at risk. The bill before you would legally permit a licensed counselor or therapist to turn away a patient based on the mental health professional’s own beliefs or principles, a proposal that squarely targets LGBT individuals seeking such services. In addition to legalizing forms of discrimination in your state, the legislation could cause individuals to go without needed care if they are refused treatment by the only available counselor, a possibility in schools and rural areas. Nearly one-quarter of Tennessee’s 6.5 million residents live in rural areas, where access to mental health professionals can be limited. Such individuals could be left with nowhere to turn for mental health treatment if they are denied service. While clearly aimed at LGBT individuals, the legislation as written would allow for discrimination against patients based on many factors, including race, religion, and gender. In fact, a therapist opposed to United States military policy could conceivably refuse treatment to a veteran based on “sincerely held principles.” This type of government-sanctioned intolerance simply has no place in our country. We formed a coalition to fight discrimination in an effort to stand up against bigotry and prejudice in cities and states across the country, and are committed to using our collective

Veto Request Letter April 19, 2016 Page 2 influence to oppose discriminatory practices. HR 1840 sets a dangerous precedent of intolerance for LGBT and other minority communities and will specifically impact already vulnerable individuals seeking mental health services. We ask for your veto to prevent this misguided bill from becoming law. Sincerely,

Edwin M. Lee Bill de Blasio Mayor Mayor City and County of San Francisco New York City Eric Garcetti Edward B. Murray Mayor Mayor City of Los Angeles City of Seattle Muriel Bowser Jim Kenney Mayor Mayor Washington, D.C. City of Philadelphia Kitty Piercy Javier Gonzales Mayor Mayor City of Eugene City of Santa Fe Jim Ellison Mayor City of Royal Oak