Ohio House, Senate pass budget with six anti-LGBTQ+ amendments

The Ohio House and Senate have agreed on a budget to send to Gov. Mike DeWine for his signature. Included in the 5,500-page bill are a number of anti-LGBTQ+ measures:

• A policy that cribs from President Donald Trump’s executive order “to recognize two sexes, male and female.” According to the budget language, “these sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.”
• Banning the use of Medicaid for mental health services that “promote or affirm gender transition.” 
• Withholding state money from youth shelters that support transgender youth.
• Requiring all public libraries to place material related to sexual orientation or gender identity or expression out of the view of persons under the age 18.
• Banning menstrual products from the men’s restrooms of public buildings.
• Mandating that state agencies may only fly the official Ohio state flag on the grounds or buildings, effectively banning the display of Pride flags.

Equality Ohio condemned the measures.

“Ohioans deserve a budget that invests in education, healthcare and community—not one that targets already vulnerable populations,” said Dwayne Steward, executive director at Equality Ohio. “This budget turns transphobia and homophobia into policy and uses public money to enforce it. Let’s be clear—LGBTQ+ Ohioans will not be erased.”

The House had originally passed the budget in April. When the Senate passed the budget on June 11, they made changes to the document, resulting in a committee process to have both the House and Senate agree on a budget that can be sent to Gov. Mike DeWine for his signature by the end of June. Both the House and the Senate voted to do so on Wednesday.

DeWine has the discretion to veto individual lines in the budget; he vetoed over 40 items in the budget two years ago. LGBTQ+ advocates are hoping the governor does just that with the six anti-LGBTQ+ measures. 

“These measures do nothing to improve life for Ohioans,” Steward said in a press release. “At a time when our resources are desperately needed elsewhere, they redirect public funds toward enforcing discrimination instead of investing in education, healthcare and other real community needs.”

Not a single Democrat voted for the budget in either the House or the Senate.

“Instead of supporting working families and creating an Ohio that is truly the heart of it all, the Republican majority created a budget filled with broken promises,” said Senate Democratic Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood). “Broken promises for low-income and hard-working Ohioans: farmers, shop clerks, librarians, teachers, bus drivers, first responders, ride share drivers and so many more.”🔥

IGNITE ACTION

• The Buckeye Flame’s Ohio LGBTQ+ legislation guide for 2025 can be found here.
• To register to vote or to check your voter eligibility status in the state of Ohio, click here.
• To find contact information for your Ohio state representative, click here.
• To find contact information for your Ohio senator, 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