Ohio bathroom bill protecting girls sent to governor

An Ohio bill that requires school bathroom and locker room use according to birth sex awaits the governor’s signature after being approved by the Senate on Wednesday.

“It revolves around safety, security and, I think, common sense,” said state Sen. Jerry Cirino, a Republican who sponsored the bill. “It protects our children and grandchildren in private spaces where they are most vulnerable. It is us using our legislative authority to ensure schools are, in fact, safe environments. After all, bathrooms, showers, changing rooms should all be safe places for our students.”

The bill passed the Ohio State House in June prior to the recess for the election. Wednesday the Ohio Senate approved the bill 24-7, reported the Ohio Capital Journal.  

The bill would apply to all Ohio public schools and colleges.  

An official birth record issued at or near the time of birth would be used to identify gender.  That seemingly would rule out the use of gender changes that are recognized by court-updated birth certificates to get around the law, said local News 5 Cleveland.  

State Rep. Adam Bird, also a Republican, told News 5 the issue is one of public safety.  

“We don’t want men in the girl’s restroom,” Bird said. “I think also that the other way is true too because as a young man, you don’t want to be falsely accused in a restroom by somebody of the opposite sex that has come in there.” 

The fear of sexual assaults in schools with progressive trans policies lurched into the national consciousness after a “gender fluid” boy committed two sexual assaults, including one in the girls’ bathroom, in the same school district in Loudoun County, Virginia. 

The assaults allegedly were covered up because the district was considering a new policy that would expand transgender access to bathrooms, reported Washington’s Fox 5 News. 

Bird cited the Ohio election results as one reason why the bill got passed in a special session after the election. 

President Trump received 55% of the vote in Ohio, which previously was expected to be a closely-watched swing state. Trump highlighted Democrat policies on transgender in his campaign as out of touch with America.  

Republicans in Ohio also retained their supermajority in the state House, allowing them to override a veto by the governor of any bill, said the Columbus Dispatch.  

Last year, Ohio’s Republican Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed a bill that would have banned transgender men from competing against girls in sports. The Republican supermajorities promptly overrode that veto, said the local Fox affiliate News 19. 

Ohio Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio said this time DeWine is expected to sign the bill. 

“I think this bill was framed in a way that was very, very different,” added Antonio, according to the Capital Journal.   

DeWine previously indicated he would sign the bathroom bill.  

“As it stands now, I would sign the bill,” he told reporters in July after the House bill was passed, noted the Capital Journal at the time.