DeMora Condemns Passage of Harmful Administrative Rules

Today, state Senator Bill DeMora (D-Columbus) condemned the passage of several administrative rules that would unnecessarily ban gender reassignment surgery on minors, even though such surgeries have never taken place in Ohio.

“These rules have no legal basis, are not helpful, and just further show the depths that Ohio Republicans will go to make Ohio as inhospitable as possible to the most persecuted groups,” said DeMora. “These rules are not brought forth out of a good faith effort to help and support transgender youth in Ohio. They are yet another case of state-sponsored oppression.”

Rules 3701-59-06 and 3701-83-60 would ban the operation of gender reassignment surgery on minors. Gender reassignment surgery has never been completed on a minor in Ohio, meaning this rule will further spread untrue and harmful beliefs about the state of gender-affirming care in Ohio.

Both of these rules use section 3701.13 of the Ohio revised code as their basis. The section gives powers to the Department of Health to stop the spread of contagious or infectious diseases and specifically mentions cholera, diphtheria, yellow fever, and typhoid as examples of infectious diseases. Receiving gender-affirming care is neither infectious nor a disease.

The rules passed along a party-line vote, 6-4.