Gov. Mike DeWine on Friday repealed a bill that would have restricted medical care for transgender minors and barred transgender girls from participating in female sports.
House Bill 68, which passed the House and Senate earlier this month, would prohibit doctors from prescribing hormones, puberty suppressants or gender reassignment surgery before a patient turns 18. Transgender girls and women would also be banned from playing on girls’ high school sports teams. school and university.
“If I sign House Bill 68 or House Bill 68 becomes law, the state of Ohio will have more control over what is medically best for that child than the two people who love that child the most.” I would say the state and the government know better than the parents,” DeWine said.
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DeWine’s decision came after visiting children’s hospitals, speaking with families and reviewing testimony for and against the bill. He said his administration would draft rules to ban surgeries on patients under 18, collect data on transgender medical care for adults and children, and restrict pop-up clinics that do not provide adequate mental health counseling.
The bill passed both houses of Congress with overwhelming majorities, meaning lawmakers could muster enough support to override DeWine’s veto. Ahead of Friday’s news conference, DeWine’s fellow Republicans, including Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, expressed support for the bill and urged him to sign it.
Husted is expected to run for governor in 2026.
“I was asked for my opinion on HB 68,” Husted posted Thursday. “I support this bill for two main reasons: Men should not be allowed to participate in women’s sports. Lasting medical decisions about gender should not be made in childhood. No. We hope the SAFE Act becomes law in Ohio.”
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The veto was a victory for transgender Ohioans, advocates and health care providers who voiced opposition to the bill and urged DeWine to veto it.
“These are upsetting decisions that parents should make and should also inform the team of physicians who are advising them,” DeWine said. “These parents have watched their children suffer, sometimes for years, and have serious concerns that their children may not survive to adulthood. The team will inform them of the decision, but it’s the parents who live with their children who know how their children feel better than anyone else in the world. ”
The governor said little on Friday about sports regulations, although he has previously said he believes the issue should not be handled by the government. The bill was originally separate from the health care bill, but House members combined them into one proposal.
In a letter to Mr. DeWine, several medical organizations said that doctors have already obtained parental consent and do not recommend gender reassignment surgery on minors.
“To advance this measure, proponents demonize health care providers and parents alike, and spread misinformation to deny care to an incredibly small number of Ohio children. ” they wrote. “Simply put, this bill would disenfranchise parents and harm Ohio’s children.”
Supporters say the bill is necessary to protect children, and LGBTQ advocates point to stories of people who have detransitioned, which they say is rare. A 2022 study from the American Academy of Pediatrics found that 94% of young people maintain their gender identity five years after transitioning.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association allows transgender girls to participate on girls’ teams after completing at least one year of hormone therapy. Seven transgender girls have been approved to play girls’ sports at OHSAA schools in the 2023-24 school year.
Arien Childley, a transgender woman running for the Ohio House of Representatives, said in front of DeWine’s speech, “If the governor sees this and this bill goes into effect, we’re going to be hurt. I hope they will consider the number of children they have.” “More families will have to decide whether to risk their children’s safety or sell their home and move to another state,” she said.
Will lawmakers override DeWine’s veto?
Supporters of House Bill 68 immediately criticized DeWine’s decision and called on Congress to override his veto. Since this was a House bill, the House would have to act first.
“The bill’s sponsors and the House have spent nearly three years getting this bill right to empower parents and protect children,” House Speaker Jason Stevens (R-Kitts Hill) said in a statement. Stated. “This bill was passed by a veto-proof majority in each chamber. We will certainly discuss it as a caucus and take appropriate next steps.”
Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) indicated that Senate Republicans would support override if the House takes action.
“We are very disappointed in the governor’s veto. Changes were made to the bill in response to the governor’s concerns, and the bill was strongly supported by the Republican caucus in the Senate. …We look forward to a vote in the House. “I am doing so,” he said. Next step. “
DeWine said he hopes the executive actions he announced will be enough to prevent that.
“I truly believe that we can work together, find common ground and adopt rules to protect Ohio children, adults and families in this region,” he said.
Haley Bimiller is a reporter for USA TODAY Network’s Ohio bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.