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Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘This should be a welcoming state:' DeWine denies claim of ‘anti-LGBTQ+ climate' in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Gov. Mike DeWine said he disagrees with advocates who argue the state is unwelcoming to the LGBTQ+ community. The governor was answering questions during a moderated Columbus Metropolitan Club forum on March 26 when he was asked whether Ohio is fostering an unfriendly climate for LGBTQ+ residents. The moderator said advocates claim DeWine has signed into law several bills that prompt bullying against transgender youth, like legislation regulating school restroom use. 'I'd disagree with that, I would totally disagree with that,' said DeWine. 'I don't think we have done that. Look, you go back and look at everything that I have said as governor, in 'State of the State' speeches and other times, this should be a welcoming state. We want everybody to come to Ohio and feel welcomed in the state.' Delaware, Marysville LGBTQ+ groups say local businesses are dialing back support When pressed, DeWine firmly denied there's 'an anti-LGBTQ climate' in Ohio but said 'it's important for all of us who in public office to speak out about that and for all of us to continue to make it clear that this is a state that welcomes everyone.' DeWine reiterated that, 'we want you to come to the state of Ohio, we want you to feel welcome here.' DeWine's comments come as the Statehouse has advanced several bills that opponents deem 'anti-LGBTQ+,' instead of repealing Ohio's dormant same-sex marriage bans, removing antiquated HIV criminalization laws, passing a statewide conversion therapy ban or prohibiting LGBTQ+ discrimination. Ohio's list of 'anti-LGBTQ+ bills' includes a measure requiring academic institutions to set separate bathrooms based on students' 'biological sex.' After the bill was signed into law last November, Ohio's only statewide trans-led organization, TransOhio, said more than 10,000 people called, emailed and wrote to DeWine urging for a veto. 'Our trans students and educators deserve so much better. Trans people have been a part of Ohio long before it was Ohio, and we always will be,' the group said. Proponents argue the legislation addressed concern from Ohio parents about their local schools allowing the opposite sex into shared restrooms or locker rooms. Sen. Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware) said he sponsored the bill because he supports 'protecting women, and our daughters, by simply providing the specific facilities reserved for them.' Columbus City Schools said this law is why the district reverted students' names to those reflected on birth certificates, leading to backlash from parents who said the move came without notice and harmed trans students. The district rescinded its trans and gender variant student policy in February, removing policy protecting names and pronouns. Longtime advocate warns of Ohio deaths if federal HIV funding is cut DeWine also signed into law in January a bill coined by supporters as 'The Parents' Bill of Rights,' which goes into effect in April and will require teachers to notify parents before teaching 'sexuality content' and of changes in a student's mental, emotional or physical health. A national crisis hotline said it received a significant increase in calls from LGBTQ+ youth in Ohio within hours after the governor approved the measure. Opponents said the bill will strip those youth of being able to confide in educators and school staff, putting them at risk of being outed to unsupportive families. The governor argued to reporters in January that the measure will provide a path for parents to be informed about what's going on in their child's life. '[Parents are] the first teachers, they're the best teachers, and that's very, very important,' DeWine said, also noting that he does not see the bill as harming LGBTQ+ students. Another bill banning gender-affirming care for trans youth was vetoed by DeWine in late 2023. However, after the Statehouse voted to override the governor's veto, the ACLU filed a lawsuit against the measure, which yielded a five-day trial last July. While the Franklin County judge in that trial ruled in August the measure could go into effect, an appeals court decided in March that the law is unconstitutional. 'Children are just not old enough, they're not mature enough to be able to make these lifelong decisions,' said Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery), the legislation's primary sponsor, when the law was enacted. 'We wanted to put on the brakes and say, 'Wait a minute, this is an adult decision.'' Measles outbreak reported in Ohio after several more cases confirmed Mayors for Akron, Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo said in a joint statement that while they 'are proud to offer trans-inclusive health care benefits to their employees,' the law prevents young people from accessing those benefits. 'While our city does everything we can to empower and lift up all our youth, the state law prevents parents in our city from making health care decisions for and with their child,' Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said. Other LGBTQ-related bills that have been debated at the Statehouse include a measure prohibiting 'adult cabaret performances' that opponents say would amount to a ban of drag queens in public, a bill to ban universities from asking students their preferred pronouns, and legislation prohibiting mental health service to minors without parental consent, which a leading advocacy group said could prematurely out LGBTQ+ teens. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 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Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine talked Cleveland Browns stadium, higher education policy at weekly forum
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on the Columbus Metropolitan Club weekly forum on March 26, 2025 (Screenshot). Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine discussed higher education, the Cleveland Browns stadium, and LGBTQ policy during the most recent Columbus Metropolitan Club weekly forum. Statehouse News Bureau reporter Jo Ingles asked DeWine several questions during Wednesday's hour-long forum and here is a rundown of what the governor had to say: Ohio lawmakers recently passed Senate Bill 1 — a massive higher education bill that would, among other things, ban diversity and inclusion and prohibit faculty from striking. DeWine received the bill Wednesday and has 10 days to sign the bill into law or veto it. If DeWine vetoes the bill, lawmakers would need a three-fifths vote from each chamber to override it. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'I made it clear I probably will sign the bill, but I want to go through this bill again and and take a look at it,' DeWine said. College students and faculty have said the bill will harm higher education in Ohio. 'It wouldn't be the first time that something gets passed and everybody looks at it six months later or a year later and says, 'Hey, that wasn't what we intended, or it didn't turn out the way we wanted to,' DeWine said. 'I think with any bill … we should always be open to re-examining everything.' Students, faculty are asking Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to veto massive higher ed overhaul bill DeWine's budget would continue the Governor's Merit Scholarship, which gives the top 5% of each high school graduating class a $5,000 scholarship each year to go to an Ohio college or university. 'We want to keep our top kids in the state of Ohio,' DeWine said. 'The data clearly tells us that if you go to school in the state of Ohio, you have dramatically increased your possibility of getting your first job in the state of Ohio and actually staying in the state of Ohio.' The Governor's Merit Scholarship was enacted through the last state budget two years ago. Ohio's high school graduating class of 2024 included 6,250 eligible students and about 76% of them accepted the scholarship, DeWine said earlier this year when he introduced his budget. The Governor's Merit Scholarship is estimated to cost $22.7 million for fiscal year 2025. It would cost $47 million for fiscal year 2026 and $70 million for fiscal year 2027, according to the governor's proposed budget. The budget is currently going through the Ohio House and it will be sent over to the Ohio Senate before going back to DeWine. He must sign it by July 1. DeWine danced around a question about funding for K-12 schools and if schools will have enough money. The governor's budget would decrease funding for traditional public schools by 0.9%, according to a workgroup analysis. Voucher programs including the private school program would see a 15.8% increase. 'The state legislature is going to decide, maybe with some input from me, they're going to decide what that formula is,' DeWine said. House Speaker Matt Huffman has called the current formula 'unsustainable.' DeWine's proposed budget would double the tax on sports betting from 20% to 40% with the proceeds going to fund professional sports stadiums and Ohio youth sports. Doubling the tax on sports betting would generate between $150-$180 million per year, he said. Nearly all gambling in Ohio is done online and '99.5% of the money goes to out-of-state gaming companies who don't employ anybody in the state of Ohio,' DeWine said. Gambling companies pay the sports-betting tax, so DeWine said the increased tax would not affect bettors. 'It's going to be paid directly by the companies that are outside the state of Ohio,' he said. 'This is money that's on the table … We're crazy if we don't do this.' This proposal comes as the Cleveland Browns are asking the state to help cover a quarter of the estimated $2.4 billion cost of building a new domed stadium in Brook Park, about 20 minutes away from their current stadium downtown. 'I don't think we can afford to continue to go into the general fund of our budget and take this money,' DeWine said. 'This money directly competes against education. It directly competes against mental health, drug addiction, all these things that we actually need money to try to help people achieve their ultimate goals.' How to fund professional sports stadiums will continue to come up with other teams throughout the state, he said. 'This is not just a question about the Browns, it's a question about every other stadium,' he said. 'This will permanently solve our problem. If we don't do this every legislature, every governor in the future is going to have to face the challenge of do we put $20 million here? Do we put $40 million here for this stadium or that stadium?' Lawmakers are trying to give $600 million to the Browns by issuing bonds to build the new stadium. DeWine avoided directly answering the question of if he would line-item veto that proposal if it ended up in the budget. 'We have a long way to go,' he said. 'We haven't seen the House budget yet, let alone the Senate.' DeWine signed a bill into law last year prohibiting transgender students from using school bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity. Despite this, DeWine was adamant during Wednesday's forum that Ohio does not have an anti-LGBTQ climate. 'This is a state that welcomes everyone,' DeWine claimed, 'And we want you to come to the state of Ohio. We want you to feel welcome here.' Follow Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
