Ohio lawmakers were attempting to pass a bill that would ban transgender women and girls from competing in sports according to their gender identity, but Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine was not willing to allow the bill to go through into law.
On Friday morning, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed Ohio House Bill 68, which is comprised of the “Save Adolescents from Experimentation Act” which banned gender-affirming care to minors as well as the “Save Women’s Sports Act” which would have banned transgender girls from participating in girls’ and women’s sports.
DeWine said that part of the reason for his decision was related to mental health concerns for members of the younger members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Gov. Dewine says he has VETOED HB 68, the bill which would ban transgender minors from receiving "gender affirming" healthcare and prohibit transgender girls from participating in female athletics. He cites mental health concerns for LGBTQ+ youth.
— Jerod Smalley (@JerodNBC4) December 29, 2023
“Gov. Dewine says he has VETOED HB 68, the bill which would ban transgender minors from receiving ‘gender affirming’ healthcare and prohibit transgender girls from participating in female athletics. He cites mental health concerns for LGBTQ+ youth,” Jared Smalley of NBC4 in Columbus, Ohio said in a post on X, the social media website that was formerly known as Twitter.
This is a rather surprising decision considering it was a GOP-backed bill and DeWine is a Republican himself.
There is a chance Ohio’s bill could still go into effect if 60 percent of the state legislature votes to override the governor’s veto, though that is unlikely.
