The Ohio Senate overruled Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed House Bill 68. This bill will protect minors against experimental transgender treatment, euphemistically referred as “gender affirming care”, and ensure fairness in women’s sports.

The Senate passed the override 24-8 on Wednesday after it was approved by the House of Representatives 65-28 on January 10. The clerk originally read the wrong number of votes, 23-9.

HB 68 (Enact Ohio Saving Adolescents from Experimentation) Act will prohibit physicians from performing gender-reassignment surgeries on minors and from prescribing drugs or hormones to prevent puberty in the interest of gender transition. The law will also allow students to sue for unfair treatment in sports because of gender activism, and it will protect parents’ right to raise their child according to his or her biological sex.

DeWine (a Republican) vetoed this bill on December 29th after it had passed both chambers with veto proof majorities.

DeWine explained his veto by stating that he was trying to achieve consensus on an issue that has caused division and avoid having the government make medical decisions for children. He insisted a bureaucratic process of rulemaking would produce more rules that could withstand legal challenges. Several laws that restrict experimental gender interventions were challenged in court, but many of them have been upheld.

The governor agreed with pro-transgender activists, who claimed that minors suffering from gender dysphoria — the painful condition where they identify with a gender other than their biological gender — will commit suicide if forced to take hormones or undergo “treatments” in order to have their bodies look like those of the other sex.

DeWine issued an executive order of “emergency”, a week after vetoing HB 57. The bill, however, also banned cross-sex hormonal treatments and so-called “puberty blockers” for children. DeWine’s order did not address this issue. DeWine’s order did not cover male athletes competing in female sports.

Rep. Gary Click (a Republican who is the lead sponsor of the bill) said in a Wednesday statement that the Ohio Senate deserved to be commended for its commitment to protect women and children. The SAFE Act and Save Women’s Sports Act represent the civil rights issues that we face today. They ensure that women and children are protected from men who invade their space and that they have the right to grow.

Ryan Walker, executive Vice President of Heritage Action for America praised the override. Heritage Action for America, a nonprofit, independent organization, is affiliated with The Heritage Foundation which is The Daily Signal’s parent organization.

Walker stated that “HB 68 reflects values of a majority of Americans, who are bipartisan and know that boys should not be allowed to play sports with girls. They also know that children shouldn’t receive dangerous hormones that cross sexes or undergo experimental surgery.”

Human Rights Campaign, a group that advocates for transgender rights, condemned the override.

The organization, formerly Twitter, posted that “These politicians believe they know trans youths better than their doctors and parents.” “This isn’t the end of the battle. We won’t stop until the rights of trans youths in Ohio and throughout the United States are protected and respected.

Aaron Baer of the Center for Christian Virtue praised the Ohio Legislature for overriding a veto.

Baer said in a statement to The Daily Signal that opponents of HB 68 lied up until the last floor speech about the mutilation, sterilization and other abuses being committed against children in Ohio. “But Ohio legislators did what Gov DeWine could not do: they saw through the manipulation and stood up for children.”

Brent Scher, a reporter for The Daily Wire reported that the Cincinnati hospital’s Transgender Health Center has revealed a plan to conceal minors’ gender changes from parents who may not be supportive.

The center’s director Dr. Lee Ann Conard explains how to help a child progress toward “gender acceptance” without parental involvement. She suggests that parents not tell their children about a child’s therapist, or even put young girls on a “menstrual suppressant” to stop periods.

Conard, in the video, says: “We treat children from 3 to 25 years old.” “We can refer children for therapy without informing parents.”

She acknowledged that “we have a number of patients with dual diagnoses, including eating disorders and autism spectrum disorder.”

Terry Schilling of the American Principles Project said that Ohio legislators were to be commended for taking action today to protect families and children in Ohio from the terrible consequences of gender ideologies. “Most Americans believe it’s wrong to force children to undergo permanent, body-destructive procedures in order to ‘treat their mental distress’. They also agree that it’s wrong to force female athletes and girls to compete in sports against male biological counterparts. “The safeguards in this law are simple and common sense.”

Matt Sharp, Senior Counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, said in a press release on the override that there are only two sexes: male and female. Denying this basic truth hurts our most vulnerable children. “Now and forever, young people should be embraced by their family members to guide them towards this truth, rather than being subjected life-altering, irreversible and risky drugs and experimentation.

He added: “These approaches are harmful, as they prevent healthy puberty and alter hormonal balance. They also remove healthy organs, body parts, and other healthy tissues.” “Nobody has the right harm children and thankfully states have the power – and duty – to protect them.”

Penny Nance said, “Compassion doesn’t allow an industry profit from physically and sexily mutilating a generation kids who are deceived as to their ‘gender’.” Penny Nance is the president and CEO at Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee. She made a statement regarding the veto. Ohio’s medical lobby makes big bucks by catering to the identity crisis of these kids. When they ‘transform’ children for profit, and to create a long-term drug dependency, they are not helping dysphoric kids. Ohio legislators have thankfully stopped this.”