Ohio Republicans push bill to increase challenges to transgender candidates during first hearing

On April 29, members of the Ohio House General Government Committee heard public testimony on Ohio House Bill (HB) 196, which could force some transgender candidates to out themselves in order to run for public office and could increase challenges to their candidacies.

The bill’s sponsors – conservative Reps. Angie King (R-Celina) and Rodney Creech (R-West Alexandria) – were the only two candidates for the Ohio House to face transgender opponents during the 2024 general election.

Creech and King ran against transgender candidates Bobbie Arnold and Arienne Childrey, respectively. Both were cleared to appear on the ballot after challenges to their eligibility, but lost to King and Creech in the general election. A third transgender candidate for the Ohio House, Vanessa Joy, was disqualified from appearing on the ballot entirely.

King and Creech first introduced the bill as HB 471 during the 135th Ohio congressional session, then re-introduced it as HB 196 in April 2025.

During HB 196’s first public hearing, some committee members expressed concern, noting the language has been used almost exclusively to challenge and disqualify transgender women from seeking public office.

What would HB 196 do?

The Ohio Revised Code already includes a list of criteria candidates must meet in order to be certified by a board of elections to appear on an official ballot. 

Candidates may be ineligible to appear on the ballot if they are: not a U.S. citizen, not of legal age to hold public office, have already exceeded a term limit, have a criminal record or are found in “noncompliance” by failing to disclose any former legal names they have used within the last five years.

Under Ohio law, since at least 1939, prospective candidates for public office have been required to disclose legal name changes that occured within a certain time frame – with an exemption for name changes that occur via marriage or divorce.

HB 196 would not alter the existing criteria. Instead, it would add a designated space on official candidacy petitions for applicants to list former legal names. 

Currently, only registered members of the same political party as the prospective candidate are allowed to formally challenge that candidate’s eligibility.

HB 196 would change that rule, allowing a person registered under any political party to challenge the eligibility of any candidate based on the suspected existence of former legal names – a non-partisan process that would allow candidates like Creech and King to formally challenge transgender opponents.

‘The law regarding name changes is in need of reform’

“This is of particular interest to me because I had a little bit of experience with this issue.” said General Government Committee member Rep. Tex Fischer (R-Boardman).

Fischer – who is not transgender – legally changed his name from “Austin James Fischer” to “Austin James Texford Fischer” in 2020. 

Last year, a Democratic Party official challenged Fischer’s eligibility based on his failure to disclose that name change. Ultimately, Fischer was cleared to appear on the ballot.

“My situation is obviously different,” he told The Buckeye Flame last year. “Someone like Vanessa Joy or Arienne Childrey’s name change has a lot more meaning to them, and I don’t think publishing a former name really does the voters any good and only causes the candidate grief.”

“I do believe the law regarding name changes is in need of reform,” he added. “I think disqualification for something that minor is unfair and does not serve the interests of the public.”

Ohio’s name change process

Creech and King used the term “transparency” more than a dozen times to describe the bill, noting that Ohioans who change their names could be hiding prior criminal convictions or other legal issues like owed back taxes or child support payments.

However, Ohio probate court judges typically do not grant name changes to Ohioans who have been convicted of criminal offenses including fraud, identity theft, child abuse, sex crimes and other violent offenses like assaults or domestic-violence incidents.

Some probate court judges may even decline to issue an order for a name change if an applicant is found to owe back taxes, child support or certain types of spousal support.

Additionally, Ohioans who legally change their names are required to provide public notice by publishing the changes via a free legal newspaper for 30 days ahead of the probate court’s review, allowing members of the public time to contact the court with objections.

Name changes and marriage licenses are also public record and are often accessible via county probate court websites.

Targeting transgender candidates

Democratic members of the committee expressed concern that the bill could be used to target transgender candidates specifically, limiting their ability to participate in the electoral process unless they out themselves as transgender.

“My issue is certainly with the name change, especially with the transgender candidates,” said Rep. Eric Synenberg (D-Beachwood). “I don’t think they need to disclose their former name for people to know who they [were] previously – what their prior name was.”

Rep. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland) questioned Creech and King’s intent in opening challenges to candidacy to members of any party, “instead of just making it partisan as it is right now.”

Brent mentioned Arnold, Childrey and Joy by name.

“They just all happened to be transgender candidates who dealt with that here within the state of Ohio,” Brent said. “Was that in any part of the consideration of why you developed these bills, because we have these three transgender candidates when you were coming up with this concept?”

“Because I know it wasn’t because of your colleague right here,” she added, motioning to Fischer.

King did not directly address Brent’s question. 🔥

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Ignite Action

• To find contact information for your Ohio state representative, click here.
• To find contact information for your Ohio senator, click here.
• To access The Buckeye Flame’s full LGBTQ+ legislation guide for the 136th Ohio General Assembly, click here.
• If you are a young LGBTQ+ person in crisis, please contact the Trevor Project: 866-4-U-Trevor.
• If you are an transgender adult in need of immediate help, contact the National Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860