Ohio legislature overrode DeWine's veto to enact HB68, banning trans youth gender-affirming care and trans athletes in girls' sports

On January 24, 2024, the Ohio Senate voted 24-8 to override Governor Mike DeWine's veto of House Bill 68, completing a legislative override that the Ohio House had begun on January 10 and enacting the measure into law over the Republican governor's objection. HB68, titled the "Saving Ohio Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act," bans gender-affirming medical care — including puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgery — for transgender minors, and separately bars transgender women and girls from competing in female sports in Ohio K-12 schools and colleges. A three-fifths majority in each chamber is required to override a veto; the Senate met that threshold with only one Republican, Sen. Nathan Manning, joining Democrats in opposition.

DeWine had vetoed the bill on December 29, 2023, saying decisions about such care "should be made by the people who love these kids the most, and that's the parents." The override made HB68 law notwithstanding that veto, and the statute was scheduled to take effect roughly 90 days after delivery to the Secretary of State — on April 24, 2024 — with a grandfather clause for minors already receiving restricted care before that date. Every major U.S. medical and mental-health association opposes such bans, and Ohio legislative Democrats, medical providers, and parents of transgender children testified against the measure.

Updates

2024-03-26 — ACLU filed suit challenging HB68 in Franklin County [7]

The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Ohio, and the law firm Goodwin filed Moe v. Yost in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas on behalf of two transgender adolescents and their families, challenging HB68's ban on gender-affirming care.

2024-04-16 — Franklin County court granted a TRO blocking HB68 [10]

The Franklin County Court of Common Pleas issued a temporary restraining order blocking enforcement of HB68's gender-affirming-care ban pending further proceedings in Moe v. Yost.

2024-08-06 — Trial court ruled against plaintiffs, allowing the ban to take effect [11]

After a five-day trial, the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas ruled against the plaintiffs and dissolved the restraining order, allowing HB68's ban on gender-affirming care for minors to take immediate effect while the plaintiffs pursued an appeal.

2025-03-18 — Ohio appellate court ruled HB68 unconstitutional [8, 9]

Ohio's Tenth District Court of Appeals ruled that HB68's ban on gender-affirming care for minors violated the Ohio Constitution, reversing the trial court and blocking enforcement of the care ban.

2025-04-29 — Ohio Supreme Court stayed the appellate ruling [7]

The Ohio Supreme Court granted the state's motion to stay the Tenth District's decision, allowing HB68 to remain in effect while the state's appeal proceeds.

2026-03-24 — Ohio Supreme Court heard oral arguments on HB68's constitutionality [12, 13]

The Supreme Court of Ohio heard oral arguments on whether HB68 violates the state's Health Care Freedom Amendment. A ruling was pending as of this recording.