COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio House of Representatives will meet Wednesday to override Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto of a bill that would ban all forms of gender-affirming care for minors in Ohio. House Bill 68 would also ban transgender individuals from playing girls' and women's sports.
The House called an early session for 2 p.m. Wednesday to vote to override the veto. On Monday, House Speaker Jason Stephens said he believes he has the votes to make the override happen in the House.
“I think with this bill, we passed it back in the summer and the Senate passed it in December and we concurred to it and it was well over the veto-proof majorities that voted,” said Stephens. “I think there are, and I think the governor said this as well, that there are people on both sides who have different opinions on this issue. I think you would have a lot of people who support the bill, the override, who are honestly where we believe is the best to protect kids.”
The Senate hasn’t indicated when it would take up an override if it is voted on by House.
“Look here, we’re the House. The Senate can do what the Senate wants to do. We’re going to meet tomorrow and we’re going to take action,” said Rep. Stephens.
There are several other pieces of legislation being discussed during the House Session besides the HB 68 override.
House Minority Leader Allison Russo said HB 68 and the governor’s executive order banning gender-affirming surgeries goes against allowing families to make decisions with their healthcare providers.
“At the end of the day, we think this impedes the rights of parents to make critical decision with their medical providers about the care of their children, so we remain opposed,” Russo said. “I think it’s one more example of Republicans getting between individuals and their providers in receiving the care they think is appropriate.”
Kaleidoscope Youth Center in Columbus is a nonprofit supporting LGBTQ+ youth in Ohio. Leaders said this decision to overturn the governor’s veto is heartbreaking for the kids they serve.
“Young people deserve so much better than hearing their rights debated by adults that have no idea what’s going on. Maybe they do know what’s going on and they’re actively working to harm them regardless,” said Mallory Golski, Civic Engagement and Advocacy Manager for KYC. “From my observations, those young people are just exhausted. I don’t want to say they don’t want to talk about this, but at this point they’re just so exhausted about thinking about their access to health care and their right to play sports being taken away from them, at this point they’re trying to hold on that little bit of relief still than more so worry about the override potential.”
DeWine said during his veto announcement that he believed allowing HB 68 to become law would result in the deaths of some young transgender individuals in Ohio. Golski said the governor wasn’t speaking out of turn in that moment. She’s heard it herself.
“There are young people who have said flat out if I have to wait another month or another year, I don’t think I’ll make it. There are young people who have said that to me. It’s something I try not to think about, but it is something I know they are thinking about,” she said. “The governor’s words in that case are not hyperbole."
DeWine last Friday announced an executive order which banned gender-affirming surgeries on minors, but did not prevent hormone therapy and other medications for minors. HB 68 bans all of it for minors in Ohio.
The Ohio Children’s Hospital Association released a statement Tuesday regarding the governor’s executive order and the potential overturn of the HB 68 veto.
“The Ohio Children’s Hospital Association is supportive of this executive order, and we have never been opposed to a ban on surgeries for youth with gender dysphoria. We look forward to being an active participant in the rule-making process as outlined by Governor DeWine,” said Nick Lashutka, President & CEO of the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association.
Equitas Health, a nonprofit health system focusing on the LGBTQ+ community, opposed both HB 68 and the governor’s executive order.
“These proposed administrative rules are unethical, and they completely ignore evidence-based medical standards set forth by professional bodies, including WPATH and others. Further, these rules are a prime example of government overreach in pursuit of a radical anti-trans agenda,” said Dr. Rhea Debussy, External Affairs Director for Equitas Health.
The Senate hasn’t indicated how soon it would take up an override vote if it passes in the House Wednesday. In order for an override to happen, both chambers must achieve a three-fifths majority. If the Senate does override the veto as well, HB 68 would become law 90 days after the vote.