A judge has issued a temporary restraining order to prevent the ban on gender-affirming care for minors from taking effect.
House Bill 68 would ban gender-affirming care for transgender people under the age of 18, as well as prohibit transgender student-athletes from participating in women’s and girls’ sports.
HB 68 was vetoed by Gov. Mike DeWine in December.
>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: ACLU of Ohio files lawsuit against ban on gender-affirming care for minors
That veto was overridden by the House and Senate earlier this year.
The ACLU of Ohio, along with global law firm Goodwin, filed a lawsuit against the bill in March.
Franklin County Judge Michael Holbrook issued a temporary restraining order Tuesday.
Freda Levenson, legal director of the ACLU of Ohio, issued a statement on the ruling:
“We are pleased and relieved that Ohio’s ban on gender-affirming health care has been ended and that transgender youth can continue to access medically necessary health care, at least for the short term. Our legal battle will continue until, we hope, this cruel restriction is permanently blocked. Ohio families have a constitutional right to make personal health care decisions without government intervention.”
Attorney General Dave Yost also responded to the ruling.
“This is just the first page of the book. We will fight vigorously to defend this properly enacted statute, which protects our children from irrevocable decisions by adults. I am confident that this law will be enforced.”
HB 68 was originally scheduled to go into effect on April 24.
The temporary restraining order will be in effect for 14 days or until the hearing of the plaintiff’s request for a preliminary injunction, whichever comes first.
We will continue to follow this story.
