The Ohio House of Representatives successfully overrode Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto of a bill that would protect children from chemical castration and ban men from women’s sports.
In a 65-28 vote, the GOP-controlled House sent House Bill 68 - titled the “Enact Ohio Saving Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act” - to the Senate for a final round of voting.
In addition to preventing gender-reassignment surgeries, State House News Bureau noted that House Bill 68:
“HB 68 bars physicians from prescribing hormones and puberty blockers to minors and creates penalties for those who do, among other provisions. The bill also mandates that K-12 and collegiate teams in Ohio be “single-sex,” and enables athletes to bring forth civil lawsuits against any institution that violates that mandate.”
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The bill would punish any doctors who circumvent this law and keep transgendered women (who are biological men) out of sports.
However, DeWine - a Republican - decided to veto the bill, suggesting that many Ohio children would die if they didn’t have hormone therapy made available to them.
“I’ve also listened to youth and parents. Parents who have told me if not for this treatment, their child would be dead,” DeWine said when he originally vetoed the bill. (DeWine did issue an executive order shortly afterward banning gender surgery for kids - but not hormone therapy like puberty blockers.)
“What we have found is there needs to be a process. Ultimately, my decision here was protecting life, the life of these children," he claimed.
Ahhh, now it makes sense. He was just trying to enable a demonic agenda for the kiddos! What a stand up guy.
Fortunately, men like Rep. Gary Click decided to look past these pleas at emotion and helped override DeWine’s logic. He took to X to celebrate the victory, and called on the Senate to follow in the House's steps.
I look forward to my colleagues in the @ohiosenate following suit on January 24th and standing up for the rights of Ohio's young women and children! #HB68 #SAFEAct #SaveWomensSports
— Rep Gary Click 🦎 (@clickforohio) January 10, 2024
Riley Gaines also praised this turn of events.
Ohio State House successfully voted 65-28 to override Gov DeWines veto 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) January 10, 2024
The bill will now head to the Senate for a vote set for January 24th. Onward! pic.twitter.com/ObpIb1NeIC
The Ohio Senate will be in session on Jan. 24.
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Ali Vitali shows a clear lack of understanding when it comes to Republican party history, as she accuses DeSantis of being a sexist for his reference to Ronald Reagan. https://t.co/QYnuSJZOI1
— MRCTV (@mrctv) January 11, 2024