It’s been a busy few weeks for Ohio Governor Mike DeWine in Columbus, Ohio (WCHS). He vetoed a contentious trans bill passed by the Republican-dominated legislature last Friday, going against his own party.
In reference to his veto of House Bill 68, the SAFE Act, which prohibits gender-reassignment solutions for adolescents and prevents people who become women from participating in female sports, Governor DeWine of Ohio said, “I want a legal conversation.”
“I didn’t look at the portion of the bill that dealt with sports. We’ll definitely get there. I don’t support having a male who changes gender and participates in sports like the intercollegiate swimmer who was dominating all the girls,” DeWine asserted that nobody wants to see that.
He claims that he supports some portions of the bill while opposing others.
“Parents frequently tell me that if they hadn’t been able to take part in this program, my child would not be alive today,” DeWine said. “For me, that was very telling.”
He’s talking about procedures for female change. He is, however, approving an Executive Order that establishes state standards for mental health care for both small and adult transgender people while also ensuring that Ohio hospitals do not execute such procedures.
“I stand by my decision, but I also believe and reiterate in public that those on the other side of this debate even worry about children and are making decisions based on what they believe to be in their best interests,” DeWine said. “I happen to disagree.”
The House Bill 68 veto is anticipated to be high on the agenda when the Ohio Legislature meets on January 10.
