Gov. DeWine vetoed a bill to ban many forms of healthcare for transgender minors and ban transgender girls from participating on female sports teams in high school and college.
Ohio Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio joins the show to discuss the issue and the effort to override the governor's decision.
Opponents of the ban say it would prevent transgender teens from getting life-saving care.
Supporters of the measure claim transgender care for minors can cause permanent damage and that allowing trans girls to participate on female teams is unfair.
The governor said it was not an easy decision. He faced pressure from conservatives who have targeted transgender rights. He also faced pressure from advocates and health professionals who say gender-affirming care saves lives. He met with healthcare professionals, as well as members of the transgender community and their families.
In the end, Gov. DeWine said he used conservative principles in vetoing the bill. He stated that sports associations, not government, should regulate high school and college sports.
It appears that conservative lawmakers have the votes to overturn the governor's veto unless some change their initial stance.
Snollygoster of the week
Athens City Council passed an ordinance banning stores from using single-use plastic shopping bags in an effort to cut down on pollution and plastic in landfills. The law went into effect Monday.
The problem is the Ohio Legislature in 2021 put a provision in the state budget that says local communities cannot ban plastic bags. And Attorney General Dave Yost is suing the city of Athens for violating state law.
The problem with that law is it would seem to violate the home rule provisions in the state’s constitution, which allows local communities to make their own rules.
The state of course picks and chooses when to adhere to those provisions. Fracking is exempt, but wind farms are not. Home rule does not apply to local gun regulations.
It first will be up to an Athens County judge to decide. Let’s hope this gets to the Ohio Supreme Court and we finally can do away with the selective home rule lawmaking and enforcement.
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