The Republican-led Ohio Legislature on Wednesday voted to ban gender-affirming care for minors, overriding a veto from Republican Gov. Mike DeWine that sought to leave the decision up to parents in the state.
The new law now bans gender-affirming surgeries and hormone therapies. It puts restrictions on mental health care for transgender minors and bans transgender girls and women from women's sports teams from kindergarten through the collegiate level.
The Senate voted 24-8 to override Gov. DeWine's veto, mostly along party lines. Having passed the state House in an earlier vote, the law will go into effect in roughly 90 days.
Gov. DeWine repeated Wednesday that he had vetoed the measure to protect families from government influence over medical decisions.
However, Gov. DeWine also signed an executive order in January to ban gender-affirming surgeries for those under 18.
States continue efforts to restrict health care for transgender youth
Lawmakers in several states are trying to strengthen existing restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors.
Ohio now joins at least 23 states that limit or ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors. And it is one of at least 20 states that maintain some level of ban on transgender athletes participating in K-12 and college sports teams.
The measures have been challenged: A federal judge struck down the law in Arkansas that banned such medical care, and the Biden administration is weighing a rule that would invoke Title IX gender-equity laws to forbid states from banning transgender players on school sports teams.
