Sarah Toce
On Wednesday, Senate Bill 104 (SB104) cleared Ohio’s legislature, making it the first anti-transgender law in the nation following the 2024 red wave that resulted in the presidential election of Donald J. Trump.
If Governor Mike DeWine signs the bill, Ohio will become the 10th state with anti-transgender adult bathroom bans. Alabama, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, Texas, and Utah are the other nine.
The revised code for the College Credit Plus Program and the Protect All Students Act regards single-sex bathroom access in primary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education. Ohio’s ban extends to both public and private colleges.
“We are extremely disgusted by the passage of Senate bill 104. The ‘Protect All Students Act’ being added to the unrelated topic of the College Credit Plus Program is a demonstration of underhanded and dishonest leadership,” the Kaleidoscope youth center posted. “This policy is not only dangerous and unnecessary, it is a blatant display of discrimination.”
Sens. Jerry C. Cirino and Andrew O. Brenner were the primary sponsors of SB104. Cosponsors included senators Niraj Antani, Brian M. Chavez, Theresa Gavarone, Bob D. Hackett, Terry Johnson, Al Landis, George F. Lang, Nathan H. Manning, Sandra O’Brien, Bill Reineke, Michele Reynolds, Kristina D. Roegner, Mark Romanchuk, Tim Schaffer, Kirk Schuring, and Shane Wilkin.
Representatives for SB104 included Adam C. Bird, Gary Click, Rodney Creech, Jack K. Daniels, Bill Dean, Dave Dobos, Sarah Fowler Arthur, Jennifer Gross, Thomas Hall, Marilyn S. John, Mark Johnson, P. Scott Lipps, Riordan T. McClain, Derek Merrin, Melanie Miller, Bob Peterson, Jena Powell, Monica Robb Blasdel, Nick Santucci, Dick Stein, Brian Stewart, Reggie Stoltzfus, Scott Wiggam, Josh Williams, and Bernard Willis.
