Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced that he had signed a measure that would prevent transgender schoolchildren and college students from using bathrooms corresponding to their gender identities.
The measure was signed during Transgender Awareness Week, which took place from Nov. 13 to Nov. 19.
The law limits students from kindergarten to college at both public and private schools to using the bathroom corresponding to their sex assigned at birth. Furthermore, it outlaws multiperson gender-neutral restrooms and also mandates that students share overnight accommodations with students of their same sex.
"Thank you@GovMikeDeWine for signing the bill yesterday that contains HB 183," said Ohio state representative Adam Bird on X (formerly Twitter). "@Lear4Liberty and I have been working on this bill for over a year and we are thankful that individuals will not have to worry about the opposite sex coming into the restrooms, locker rooms, and changing rooms."
The restrictions do not prevent school employees from entering bathrooms, nor do they prevent people from assisting the disabled or young children, reported the Columbus Dispatch.
"Common sense is on a winning streak in America today," Center for Christian Virtue President Aaron Baer said in a statement. "No student should be forced to go into the bathroom or locker room with a student of the opposite sex, and Ohio's kids are better protected now because of Governor DeWine's decision to sign this bill."
The measure was included in Senate Bill 104, which addresses college credit in the state. Last year, Gov. DeWine allowed minors to retain gender-affirming care and allowed transgender athletes to participate in girls' and women's sports by vetoing a measure that attempted to ban these provisions. Democrats and Teachers' Unions were hoping that this sentiment would carry forward and that DeWine would veto the bathroom measure, but it was ultimately signed into law.
"We made it clear to Gov. DeWine and Ohio legislators that SB 104 does nothing to make trans students safer in schools, and in fact makes life more dangerous for trans kids in Ohio," said Dwayne Steward, executive director of Equality Ohio. "We are deeply disappointed that Gov. DeWine has allowed this dangerous bill to become law that puts vulnerable trans youth at risk for abuse and harassment."
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