On Jan. 10, Ohio's Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted 65-28 to override GOP Gov. Mike DeWine's Dec. 29 veto of a bill that bans gender-affirming healthcare for minors.
Democrats say transgender people and parents of transgender kids should determine treatment, as endorsed by the medical consensus, while many Republicans portray that stance as medically radical and dangerous to children, Reuters noted. The state Senatewhere the bill previously passed with more than the three-fifths majority needed to overrideis due to vote on Jan. 24. If passed, the law would take effect 90 days later.
In vetoing the bill, DeWine said that his decision was informed by discussions with the trans community.
However, DeWine has not been strictly pro-trans. Last week, he issued an executive order curtailing transgender healthcare that appeared to be an attempt to stave off a veto override, and has been criticized by trans+-rights advocates as imposing more extreme restrictions than the original bill contained. Now, transgender Ohio residents may have to deal with a restored legislative ban on gender-affirming healthcare in addition to the additional restrictions in DeWine's executive order.
Pro-LGBTQ+ organizations made their thoughts known on what transpired. The Human Rights Campaign posted on X (formerly Twitter), "Even after Ohioans told politicians to leave medical decisions alone, they put themselves in control."
Andrew Davis