The governor has until Dec. 29 to make a decision on whether or not to sign the bill.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine remained tight-lipped Wednesday about where he stands on House Bill 68, the bill which would ban certain gender-affirming treatments and bar transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.
The governor has until Dec. 29 to make a decision on whether or not to sign the bill. Supporters believe this bill will protect children. Those against the bill believe it serves to harm transgender youth in Ohio. DeWine said he wants to make the right call on the issue.
“While this does not affect a large number of Ohioans, it does affect a number of children in our state. We need to get it right. For me, getting it right means finding out as much as I can,” said DeWine.
DeWine did not allude to which direction he was leaning, only saying he was taking his time.
“It’s a process that’s going on. It’s a process that’s not done. I will be making an announcement, obviously, before the 10 days runs out,” he said.
DeWine went to Nationwide Children’s Hospital Wednesday afternoon to learn more about the issue. He said he’s also visited other children’s hospitals in the state regarding HB 68.
Equality Ohio, an organization fighting for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the state, said HB 68 would have far-reaching consequences if it is signed by the governor.
“This bill passing or failing is the difference between families having to move or not,” said Maria Bruno, public policy director for Equality Ohio. “The stakes could not be higher for families that this impacts. I understand that this doesn’t impact everyone’s day-to-day lives, but the folks it does impact, it severely impacts.”
Bruno said Equality Ohio hopes the governor won’t sign HB 68, but is ready to help families if it does pass.
“We are never going to stop fighting and we aren’t going to concede that loss forever,” Bruno said. “We would immediately get to work in finding those legislative solutions and assess what resources we need and what resources we have.”
There are currently 22 states which have gender-affirming treatment bans for minors. Bans in Indiana, Arkansas, Alabama and Florida are currently blocked due to court injunctions.
The ACLU has filed lawsuits against most of the states with bans. ACLU of Ohio was unable to provide a comment to 10TV if that would be the case in Ohio if HB 68 is signed,
The Human Rights Campaign, which declared a national state of emergency for LGBTQ+ Americans, is watching Ohio’s bill closely.
“The American people value freedom. The American people value people being able to make decisions for themselves about their bodies, their lives and their healthcare that they and their families can access,” said Brandon Wolf, national HRC press secretary. “It’s a really, really challenging time to be an LGBTQ person and that is especially true when we’re talking trans young people.”
