DeWine has been visiting hospitals and speaking with families helped and harmed by gender-affirming care.

Gov. DeWine has been visiting hospitals and speaking with families helped and harmed by gender-affirming care as he decides what action to take on legislation preventing minors from obtaining such treatments. The governor has until Dec. 29 to either sign or veto the gender-affirming care bill, which also blocks transgender student athletes from playing girls’ and women’s sports, or he can allow it to become law without his signature. He said he cleared his calendar this week in order to visit three Ohio children’s hospitals in Akron, Cincinnati and Columbus…to study the issue. He said he’s also incorporating input from both proponents and opponents of the hot-button legislation and doing loads of reading. Although gender-affirming care has been available in the United States for more than a decade and is supported by major medical associations, more than 20 states have enacted laws restricting or banning such treatments since 2021.