The Ohio House voted to override the governor's veto of a bill banning various forms of gender-affirming care for minors. Additionally, the bill seeks to prevent transgender girls and women from participating in female sports teams in high schools and colleges in Ohio. We discuss the ongoing debate with Ohio Public Radio reporter Jo Ingles.
Overturned
Gov. DeWine's resolute stance alongside parents and doctors of transgender minors may be just that—a stance, not law.
This week, the House overturned the governor's veto in a vote that largely followed party lines.
Rep. Gary Click, the bill's sponsor, urged lawmakers to override the veto, stating, "I believe our governor has good intentions. However, good intentions do not save lives or protect women. Good policy does."
Click argues that treatments on minors will shield children from procedures they may later regret.
Democratic Rep. Jessica Miranda accused her colleagues of disregarding professionals who assert that transgender care saves lives, expressing, "You are literally killing our children."
The veto override effort now advances to the state Senate, which had previously passed the bill with a veto-proof majority last year.
Snollygoster of the Week
The Columbus City Council recently expanded from seven to nine members, with each member required to reside in a distinct district within the city. Although they continue to be elected citywide, they must live in the district they represent. In theory, a member could secure victory without receiving a single vote from their district if they garner support from other parts of the city. However, this isn't the reason the city council is our Snollygoster of the Week.
The noteworthy aspect lies in how they determined the duration of each member's service—a somewhat intricate process. Council members now serve four-year terms. Under the previous system, terms were staggered, ensuring not every council member faced re-election simultaneously. Instead, half would be up for re-election one year, and two years later, the other half.
With the new charter, approved by voters, all members started with a clean slate. Unless they took specific actions, they would all be up for re-election in four years. Consequently, they needed to decide which members would serve two-year terms and which would serve four-year terms. To make this determination, they adopted a method commonly used in Bingo Halls: ping pong balls. Four members drew balls designating two-year terms, while five others lucked into four-year terms.
If you have a suggestion for our "Snollygoster of the Week" award, a question or a comment, send them to snollygoster@wosu.org.