On Wednesday afternoon, the Ohio House of Representatives overrode Governor Mike DeWine’s veto of a bill that would have banned child gender-transition hormone therapy and surgery as well as boy participation in girl’s sports.

After convening in a special session the chamber rejected, by a vote of 65 to 28, the Republican Governor’s attempt at killing the SAFE Act. The bill will now be sent to the state senate for a vote on an override.

DeWine said in a press release that, following his veto decision, he would announce a specific action regarding gender transition procedures for children, but not about hormone injections or puberty blocking agents. Infusions of testosterone and estrogen, as well as blockers for puberty can stop a child’s natural development. This damage is irreversible and irreparable.

DeWine’s “emergency executive order” last week prohibited doctors from performing gender-transition surgery, such as mastectomy and hysterectomy, on children in Ohio hospitals and health care facilities.

DeWine defended his decision to veto a broader ban by saying, “A week has passed and I feel as strongly as I did on that day.” “I think parents should make these important decisions for their kids, not government.”

DeWine’s veto was condemned by GOP presidential candidates and conservative activists, who called it cowardly and urged the Republican-controlled Ohio legislature to reverse the move. Chloe Cole, a prominent detransitioner, accused DeWine bending the knee before corporate interests like the Cleveland Clinic and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

Governor Ron DeSantis criticized the veto and praised his record in restricting medical interventions on children, as well as protecting women’s sport.

DeWine, according to former president Trump on TRUTH Social, had “fallen into the Radical Left.”

“What did he think?” Trump asked. The bill would have prevented child mutilation and men from participating in women’s sport. Legislative will hopefully overturn. Do it FAST!” !”

Cleveland.com reports that SurveyUSA conducted a fall 2022 poll of 856 Ohioans on behalf of Baldwin Wallace University and found that the majority of respondents opposed sex-change medicalization of minors.

Conservative groups applauded Ohio House’s decision and encouraged the state Senate to follow.

Logan Church, political director of CatholicVote, and Ohio resident told National Review that Dewine had turned his back on Ohio families’ values, but he was grateful for safeguards like this one to protect the children of Ohio.

Church stated that “CatholicVote worked with our grassroots supporters in the state to encourage their representatives to vote correctly, and we’ll continue this initiative for the Senate.” “We hope that the Senate quickly follows the House in order to preserve the values Ohioans cherish.”