OHIO GOVERNOR REJECTS LEGISLATION.

Ohio’s Republican Governor, Mike DeWine, has opted to reject a proposed bill aimed at prohibiting gender transition procedures for minors and the inclusion of male athletes on female sports teams. Known as the SAFE (Saving Ohio Adolescents from Experimentation) Act, the bill sought to prevent physicians from performing gender reassignment surgeries or prescribing cross-sex hormones or puberty-blocking drugs to minors.

Beyond medical constraints, the bill included measures to safeguard parents’ rights regarding the upbringing of their children based on their biological sex. It also sought to prevent schools from permitting male athletes to join female sports teams in high schools and colleges.

Governor DeWine, speaking at a press conference on December 29, explained that after consulting with families, visiting children’s hospitals, and carefully weighing arguments both for and against the legislation, he made the decision to veto the bill. He stressed his belief that parents, rather than the state, should be the ones making medical decisions for their children.

During the press conference, Governor DeWine revealed conversations with transgender individuals who asserted they might have contemplated self-harm without access to gender-altering treatments. He framed his decision as a commitment to protecting life, drawing parallels to his stance on abortion.

While acknowledging concerns raised by Republican lawmakers, Governor DeWine affirmed his alignment with the General Assembly’s view that gender-altering surgeries should not be performed on those under 18. As an alternative, he pledged to direct state agencies to establish rules prohibiting such surgeries in Ohio and to regularly report data on patients undergoing gender-altering care to the General Assembly.

Despite the veto, the bill could still become law if Republican lawmakers, holding a supermajority in both legislative chambers, choose to override Governor DeWine’s decision. The bill received significant support from Republicans in the Ohio House and Senate earlier in the month.