Trans healthcare ban, bathroom rules: These Ohio bills shaped LGBTQ+ rights in 2024

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Several bills impacting Ohio's LGBTQ+ community became law in 2024, including a ban on certain medical care for transgender youth and legislation regulating school restroom use.

The Ohio Statehouse passed three bills and advanced a few others this year that opponents deem "anti-LGBTQ+," among more than 570 proposed laws nationwide that the American Civil Liberties Union has listed under the same designation. This year's round of legislation continues an unprecedented wave after more than 725 similar bills were introduced in 2023.

Here's how each bill is shaping Ohio's LGBTQ+ community.

Trans healthcare, athlete ban

Ohio Statehouse voted to override Gov. Mike DeWine's veto in January.

A Franklin County judge ruled in August that Ohio's law banning gender-affirming care for trans youth, House Bill 68, can go into effect after being on hold for several months. The ruling followed a five-day trial that took place in July after the ACLU filed a lawsuit against the measure in March on behalf of two families whose children are at risk of losing access to their healthcare.

"Children are just not old enough, they're not mature enough to be able to make these lifelong decisions," said Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery), the legislation's primary sponsor, when H.B. 68 was enacted. "We wanted to put on the brakes and say, 'Wait a minute, this is an adult decision.'"

The ACLU argued the legislation violates the Ohio Constitution's single-subject rule, requiring bills to only be about one topic, given the measure addresses trans healthcare and also bans trans female athletes' participation in women's sports. The legal challenge came after the Statehouse voted to override DeWine's veto of the legislation.

Mayors for Akron, Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo said in a joint statement that while they "are proud to offer trans-inclusive health care benefits to their employees," H.B. 68 prevents young people from accessing those benefits. "While our city does everything we can to empower and lift up all our youth, the state law prevents parents in our city from making health care decisions for and with their child," Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said.

School bathroom regulations

DeWine signed into law in November.

Senate Bill 104, which also amends Ohio's College Credit Plus program, requires academic institutions to set separate bathrooms, locker rooms and overnight accommodations based on students' "biological sex," meaning the sex listed on a student's birth certificate. The bill prohibits the construction of any all-gendered restrooms in schools and will go into effect in February.

"[S.B. 104] addressed the concern from many Ohio parents about their local schools allowing the opposite sex into shared restrooms or locker rooms," said Sen. Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware), one of the bill's primary sponsors. "I support protecting women, and our daughters, by simply providing the specific facilities reserved for them."

Ohio's only statewide trans-led organization, TransOhio, said more than 10,000 people called, emailed and wrote to DeWine urging for a veto. "Our trans students and educators deserve so much better. Trans people have been a part of Ohio long before it was Ohio, and we always will be," the group said.

Parents' Bill of Rights

Passed the Ohio Statehouse in December, on DeWine's desk for signature or veto.

House Bill 8, named the "Parents' Bill of Rights," would require teachers to notify parents before teaching "sexuality content" and of any change in a student's mental, emotional or physical health. Other legislation was folded into the bill to require public schools to adopt a policy permitting religious release time, or excused absences for students who attend religious instruction during the school day. Opponents worry the bill might result in the "forced outing" of LGBTQ+ students.

"The bill will put countless children in harm's way while also unfairly restricting the way teachers can talk about LGBTQ+ issues," said Rep. Anita Somani (D-Dublin). "Students deserve to feel safe and supported in school, not afraid they can no longer trust their teachers and school staff."

"The age of powerful parent voices is here," said Aaron Baer, Center for Christian Virtue president. "The CCV-backed Parents' Bill of Rights, which includes important provisions to protect programs like LifeWise Academy and religious released time, tells government bureaucrats across Ohio that parents are in charge of their kids' education."

Ban on 'adult cabaret performances'

Received a second Ohio House Criminal Justice Committee hearing in June.

House Bill 245 would ban "adult cabaret performances," defined as a show "harmful to juveniles" that features "entertainers who exhibit a gender identity that is different from the performers’ or entertainers' gender assigned at birth." The bill would prohibit these shows in all locations other than "adult cabarets," meaning "a nightclub, bar, juice bar, restaurant, bottle club or similar establishment."

"We want equality for all, we want everyone to be treated equally in the state of Ohio, that includes our entertainers," said Rep. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania), the bill's primary sponsor. "You're going to be held to the same standard, which is don’t engage in obscene conduct in the presence of a minor."

A conservative Lancaster group advocated for city council to adopt a measure with the same language after they argued a performance during a LGBTQ+ Pride event with a drag queen was "pornographic." Small business owners in Lancaster said they experienced an influx of customers after their shops were included on a social media post tying them to the debated event.

Bellefontaine, a rural Ohio city, was originally supposed to be the first in the state to vote on whether to ban such performances in public. However, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled last October that the proposed ordinance, which also used the "adult cabaret performance" wording, would not appear on the ballot given it was submitted fraudulently.

"I know a lot of queens who are scared to do certain things now because we are being put under such a microscope," said Blonde Vanity, the Columbus-based drag queen who sparked Bellefontaine's proposal.

Felonies for 'obscene' school books

Received an Ohio House Criminal Justice Committee hearing in December.

House Bill 556 would establish "criminal liability for certain teachers and librarians for the offense of pandering obscenity." The bill would charge teachers and school librarians with fifth-degree felonies -- punishable by a sentence of six to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500 -- for creating, reproducing, publishing, promoting or advertising "obscene material."

Rep. Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon), the bill's primary sponsor, said during the hearing the legislation is needed after he heard from substitute teachers who saw books in the classroom "depicting actions that students don't need to be seeing." The bill's hearing came shortly after an Ohio public school teacher was suspended for three days without pay for having four books with LGBTQ+ characters in her third-grade classroom.

"This deliberately vague law -- which flies in the face of the First Amendment while inviting inconsistent enforcement -- does nothing to serve students," said Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro. "H.B. 556 would have a chilling effect in our classrooms by making trained, experienced professionals unsure whether the necessary, legitimate education materials they have been using with their students would be safe."

Removing pronouns from college applications

Received an Ohio House Higher Education Committee Hearing in November.

House Bill 686 would prohibit Ohio's 14 public universities from using "any application for student admission that asks for, or contains a field in which an applicant may indicate, an applicant’s preferred gender pronouns." Rep. Gail Pavliga (R-Portage County), the bill's primary sponsor, argued asking for pronoun usage "distinguishes groups based on their political ideology."

"I have spoken to multiple Republican young adults, and they have told me that they would not include any answer on potential pronoun fields if asked on an application," Pavliga said during the hearing. 

Rep. Beryl Brown Piccolantonio (D-Gahanna) argued during the hearing that such questionnaires can be helpful and noted she often receives mail addressed to her as "Mr. Piccolantonio." The lawmaker said she doesn't "appreciate when correspondence is addressed to me in a way that doesn't actually match my gender identity."