https://www.axios.com/2023/12/29/ohio-republican-dewine-trans-care-sports-ban-vetoOhio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) vetoed a bill on Friday that would have prevented minors from receiving gender-affirming health care and restricted transgender girls' ability to participate on school sports teams.
Why it matters: DeWine is now just one of two Republican governors who have vetoed restrictions on gender-affirming care and among a few who have rejected bills that would constrain trans athletes.
>Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson vetoed a similar gender-affirming care bill in 2021, while Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) and Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) rejected bans on trans athletes last year.
Catch up quick: The bill was sponsored by state Rep. Gary Click, a Baptist pastor and supported by religious groups and a swimmer who competed against a trans athlete in college.
>Opponents included various medical organizations, children's hospitals and LGBTQ+ rights groups.
DeWine has previously said the issue of trans sports participation should be handled by athletic associations rather than the government.
>There are only a handful of trans athletes in Ohio that would've been impacted by the law out of approximately 400,000 athletes in 7th-12th grade sports, according to the Ohio Capital Journal.
What they're saying: DeWine said in a press conference on Friday that before vetoing the bill, he spoke with several different people with a wide range of opinions on gender-affirming care.
>They included doctors who provide the care and doctors who oppose it, people who have received such care and had positive and negative experiences and parents who believe their children were saved by gender-affirming care.
>DeWine said he concluded that most decisions on gender-affirming care should be made by parents informed by doctors who are advising them.
