2024-03 - oppose HB 68 - anti-trans bill

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DocuSign Envelope ID: D1 D7BO29-ODBD-4276-9A2E-BOA56F6EO688 RESOLUTION 2 0 2 4 - 0 3 BY: Baker, Bullock, Kepple, Marx, Rader, Shachner, Strebig A RESOLUTION to oppose Ohio House Bill 68, which restricts gender -affirming healthcare and sports participation for transgender youth, undermining the judgement of medical professionals, the recommendations of the Ohio High School Athletic Association, and the loving intuition of the families who support transgender youth. WHEREAS, House Bill 68 was recently passed by the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate, with co-sponsorship predominantly from House and Senate Republicans; and, WHEREAS, Governor Mike DeWine vetoed House Bill 68 on December 29, 20239 stating that this action was "in the- public interest."; and, WHEREAS, in January 2024 the Ohio House and Senate voted to override Governor Mike DeWine's veto of the anti-transgender House Bill 68, effectively enacting the legislation and making Ohio the 22nd state to ban gender -affirming care for transgender minors and the 24th to impose a ban on trans girls and women from participating in sports teams consistent with their gender identity; and, WHEREAS, House Bill 68 bans medically necessary treatments such as hormone blockers, gender -affirming hormone therapy, and surgery for transgender youth, treatments which are often critical to the mental and physical well-being of transgender youth and sometimes lifesaving; and, WHEREAS, despite recommendations from the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) which support the rights of transgender students to participate in athletics, House Bill 68 bans transgender girls from participating in women's sports teams, and threatens legal consequences for schools that allow transgender youth to compete in sports aligned with their gender identity; and, WHEREAS, HB 68 egregiously infringes upon the rights of parents to make informed and compassionate healthcare decisions for their children, undermining parental decision making and the family unit; and, WHEREAS, such legislation not only discriminates against transgender individuals but also undermines the principles of equality and freedom, potentially threatening the rights of all citizens who may at some future point find their health care decisions in the cross hairs of a political debate; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO: Section 1. That this Council strongly condemns the override of Governor DeWine's veto and the enactment of House Bill 68 as discriminatory, harmful to transgender youth, and a violation of parental rights.