Ohio lawmakers prep to override GOP governor's veto of ban on trans medical procedures for kids

The majority-Republican Ohio legislature is poised to override GOP Gov. Mike DeWine's veto of a bill that would ban transgender procedures for minors.

DeWine disappointed Republicans and conservative activists in the state when he rejected the bill, which bans procedures like hormone replacement therapy and surgeries for minors, and restricts girls' sports teams by biological sex.

CatholicVote, one of the advocacy groups pushing for the Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act, said the veto was a betrayal of family values by the Republican, Catholic governor.

The bill appears likely to become law despite DeWine's veto. The Ohio state House on Wednesday voted to pass the bill despite the veto on a party-line vote of 65 - 28, clearing the three-fifths majority needed to override the governor. The state Senate is expected to consider the override Jan. 24, but overwhelmingly passed the measure in December by 24 to 8. Only one Republican in the state senate joined with every Democrat to vote against the bill in December.

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But the fight over the bill could have ramifications that will be long felt — particularly in the governor's office.

Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed a bill that would have blocked transgender medical procedures for kids and protected girls' sports, but the GOP-led legislature is poised to override the veto. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

"At the end of the day I was surprised, because DeWine has historically been a pro-family Republican. He's also a Catholic governor," said Logan Church, national political director for CatholicVote. 

Riley Gaines, a womens' sport advocate who gained national prominence after competing against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, called DeWine "a spineless coward that needs to be removed from office."

DeWine said in his Dec. 29 statement about the veto that he had heard from numerous parents who expressed fear that without transgender medical interventions, their transgender-identifying children would commit suicide.

"This bill would impact a very small number of Ohio children. But, for those children who face gender dysphoria and for their families, the consequences of this bill could not be more profound," DeWine said. 

He used the language of parental rights to paint a picture of compassion for parents who want what's best for their children.

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"Parents are making decisions about the most precious thing in their life — their child — and none of us should underestimate the gravity and the difficulty of those decisions," DeWine said.

But he added that he "adamantly" agreed with the legislature that permanent sex-change surgery on minors was wrong, and issued a public health emergency order to ensure that no operations of that kind would be performed on those under 18 years old. DeWine's office did not respond to Fox News' request for comment for this story.

However, Republicans backing the bill were unsatisfied with that move, since it didn't address other chemical transgender interventions, and also didn't enshrine a ban on biological males competing in all-female sports.

During a contentious floor debate on the override, Democratic minority whip Rep, Jessica Miranda accused Republicans of hypocritically taking away parental rights for their children's health care, and suggested they were trying to appeal to their conservative base.

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"With this vote to override the governor's veto today, you are literally killing our children. Take that in for a minute. Literally killing our children, all to win your Republican primary races. Disgusting," Miranda said.

Republicans at the state and national level lambasted DeWine's decision. Ohio Republican Sen. JD Vance said he was "extremely disappointed,"

Ohio state Rep. Jena Powell speaks Jan. 10 about overriding DeWine's veto of a bill protecting women's  (Screenshot: Ohio House of Representatives/The Ohio Channel)

"Governor DeWine, in Ohio we don't want men to compete in women-only sports," Ohio state Rep. Jena Powell told the chamber on Wednesday.

Conservative activist groups who championed the bill praised the override vote, and urged the state Senate to do the same.

"Ohio and the entire nation have spoken," said David Mahan, policy director of the Center for Christian Virtue, which has been at the forefront of the public advocacy of the bill.

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"Ohio and the entire nation have spoken. It's not okay to chemically sterilize and mutilate children, and no clinic can transform little girls into little boys with pills and scalpels. Additionally, HB68 will protect women's and girls' privacy rights and guarantee them a fair playing field and the opportunity to win athletic scholarships. It's not okay to chemically sterilize and mutilate children, and no clinic can transform little girls into little boys with pills and scalpels. Additionally, HB68 will protect women's and girls' privacy rights and guarantee them a fair playing field and the opportunity to win athletic scholarships," Mahan said in a statement Wednesday.

The bill's key sponsor, Rep. Gary Click, defended the legislation as a step to protect children in his remarks on the override vote.

"I think most people here have good intentions, I believe our governor has good intentions. However, good intentions do not save lives, or protect women. Good policy does," Click said.