The Republican-controlled Ohio General Assembly is poised to override Republican Gov. Mike DeWine's veto of a bill that would ban transgender minors from undergoing procedures.
Mr. DeWine disappointed Republicans and conservative activists in the state by defeating a bill that would have banned hormone replacement therapy, surgery and other procedures for minors and restricted women's sports teams based on biological sex.
CatholicVote, one of the advocacy groups promoting the Saving Youth from Experimentation (SAFE) Act, said the veto was a betrayal of family values by the Republican Catholic governor.
Despite DeWine's veto, the bill appears likely to pass. The Ohio General Assembly passed the bill Wednesday, clearing the three-fifths majority required for a governor's override, despite a 65-28 partisan veto. The state Senate, which is scheduled to consider overriding the bill on Jan. 24, overwhelmingly passed the bill 24-8 in December. Only one Republican in the state Senate joined all the Democrats who voted against the bill in December.
Conservatives slam Republican Ohio governor as 'coward' for vetoing transgender bill
But the fight over the bill could have long-lasting implications, especially for the governor's office.
Ohio's Republican governor, Mike DeWine, has vetoed a bill that would have blocked medical treatment for transgender children and protected women's sports, but the Republican-led Legislature is poised to override the veto. (AP Photo/Carolyn Custer)
“At the end of the day, I was surprised because Mr. DeWine has historically been a pro-family Republican. He's also a Catholic governor,” said Logan Church, national political director for Catholic Vote.
Riley Gaines, an advocate for women's sports who gained national fame for her fight against transgender swimmer Leah Thomas, called DeWine “a spineless coward who needs to be removed from public office.”
In a Dec. 29 statement regarding the veto, DeWine said many parents have expressed concern that without transgender medical intervention, their transgender-identifying children will commit suicide. He said he heard from.
“This bill will impact a small number of children in Ohio, but for children facing gender dysphoria and their families, the impact of this bill could not be more severe.” DeWine said.
He used the term parental rights to depict compassion for parents who want what is best for their children.
Riley Gaines encourages Ohio Republican governor to sign ban on transgender surgeries for minors
“Parents are making decisions about the most important thing in their lives – their children, and none of us should underestimate the gravity and difficulty of those decisions,” DeWine said.
But he “absolutely” agrees with Congress that permanent sex-reassignment surgery on minors is wrong and has issued a public health emergency order preventing such surgeries on anyone under 18. He added that he did. Mr. DeWine's office did not respond to Fox News' request for comment for this article.
However, Republicans supporting the bill were satisfied with the bill because it did not mention other chemical transgender interventions or prohibit biological males from participating in women-only sports. It wasn't.
During a controversial floor debate on the annulment, Democratic Minority Representative Jessica Miranda accused Republicans of hypocritically taking away parents' rights for their children's medical care, and accused Republicans of He suggested that they were trying to appeal to a demographic group.
Detransitioners say they face intense attacks from trans activists they once considered a 'second family'
“Today, with this vote to override the governor's veto, you are literally killing our children. Think about that for a second. It's all about winning the Republican primary. They're literally killing our children. It's disgusting,” Miranda said.
Republicans at the state and national level condemned DeWine's decision. “It's very disappointing,” said Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance.
Ohio Rep. Jenna Powell will speak on January 10 about overriding DeWine's veto of a bill protecting women's rights. (Screenshot: Ohio House of Representatives/Ohio Channel)
“Governor DeWine, we don't want men to participate in women-only sports in the state of Ohio,” Ohio Congresswoman Jenna Powell said on the floor Wednesday.
Conservative activist groups that supported the bill praised the invalidated votes and called on the state Senate to do the same.
“Ohio and the nation have spoken out,” said David Mahan, policy director at the Center for Christian Virtue, which has spearheaded the bill's public advocacy.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“Ohio and the nation have spoken out. It is not okay to chemically sterilize or mutilate children. There are no clinics that turn girls into boys with drugs or scalpel. Moreover, HB68 would protect the privacy rights of women and girls and ensure equal rights. “Give them a chance to win athletic and athletic scholarships. Chemically sterilize or mutilate children. There are no clinics where you can turn a girl into a boy with drugs or meth.Furthermore, HB68 protects the privacy rights of women and girls; “We guarantee a level playing field and the opportunity to earn athletic scholarships,'' Mahan said in a statement Wednesday.
The bill's main sponsor, Rep. Gary Click, defended the bill in his remarks about invalid voting as a measure to protect children.
“I think most people here have good intentions, and I think the governor has good intentions. But good intentions don't save lives or protect women. Good policies don't. Yes, it is,” Click said.
