Gov. Mike DeWine has signed into law a bill requiring people at Ohio's primary and secondary schools to use the bathroom that aligns with the gender on their birth certificates. The bill also designates public and private school bathrooms and other facilities such as locker rooms as exclusively single-sex.
The signing was confirmed by Sen. Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland), who sponsored the original bill on changes to the College Credit Plus program, but supported the addition of the sexuality and gender-related provisions by the House. DeWine's office confirmed it shortly after that.
House lawmakers in June folded the GOP-backed, so-called “bathroom” bill into Senate Bill 104, an uncontroversial proposal on a college credit program for high school students. Under it, all K-12 schools and colleges in Ohio would have to require transgender students use bathrooms and locker rooms matching the gender on their birth certificates, rather than their gender identity.
Two weeks ago, during its first session following the November election, the Senate concurred on the House changes and sent it to DeWine—who had indicated months before he would sign it.
Rep. Beth Lear (R-Galena) brought the original House Bill 183 forward with Rep. Adam Bird (R-New Richmond). They and other GOP lawmakers maintain it protects children, though trans issues have become potent among the party, particularly after the election. LGBTQ advocates argue it is discriminatory.
More than a dozen conservative-leaning states have some form of a bathroom ban on the books, according to think tank the Movement Advancement Project. Some of those are just in schools, while others extend to all government buildings.
DeWine signed the bill without comment. On X, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted wrote, “It’s unbelievable that we’ve reached a point where a law is necessary to ensure the safety of young women in school restrooms, but unfortunately, that’s the reality right now in our society.”
A legal challenge is likely. The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio had urged DeWine to veto the bill, and said in a statement after it cleared the Senate earlier this month that it “remains steadfast in our commitment to standing with trans Ohioans.”
