Ohio bill restricting trans health care to take effect in 90 days
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Republicans in the Ohio Senate voted Wednesday to override the governor's veto of a bill restricting transgender rights, two weeks after the Ohio House of Representatives did the same.
Why it matters: That means House Bill 68 will go into effect in 90 days, over the objections of Gov. Mike DeWine, LGBTQ+ rights groups, medical associations and children's hospitals.
Catch up quick: The law will prohibit Ohio minors from receiving gender-affirming health care and prevent transgender athletes from playing on girls' and women's K-12 and college sports teams.
- Experts defend gender-affirming care as medically necessary and potentially lifesaving, while Republicans argue the state should protect children from life-altering decisions.
Between the lines: DeWine was one of a few Republican governors who had vetoed such restrictions, and he received a flurry of criticism from Republican lawmakers, U.S. Senate candidates and former President Trump.
What they're saying: "Our daughters should not be forced to compete against males in sports, plain and simple, and our children should not be undergoing irreversible sterilizations and experimental transgender medicine," Peter Range, CEO of Ohio Right to Life, said. "This is not controversial; this is common sense. We are thankful for the Ohio Senate's legislative veto override of HB 68."
The other side: "At its core, we're not just overriding the governor's veto, we're overriding the will of parents and their children in concert with medical professionals and mental health professionals to make the best decisions for their children," state Sen. Nickie Antonio, who last year became the first openly gay minority leader in Ohio Senate history, said.
Meanwhile, earlier this month, DeWine announced a draft of new regulations for transition-related care for all Ohioans, including adults, which civil rights advocates say would be the strictest limits on such care in the country, if they take effect.
- The state is fielding public comment on the drafted rules through Feb. 5.
What we're watching: Lawmakers are also considering legislation to restrict bathroom and locker room usage of transgender K-12 and college students.