Jan. 5 (UPI) — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued an executive order Friday barring gender-affirming surgery for minors in the state.
“I signed an executive order just a few moments ago enacting emergency rules that ban gender transition surgeries for minors at any ambulatory surgical facility in Ohio,” DeWine told reporters Friday.
The executive order went into effect immediately.
Last week, DeWine vetoed a more extensive bill that also would have banned puberty blockers for transgender minors. That bill, HB 68, still could pass if the Legislature is able to garner enough votes to override the veto.
The bill also would have barred transgender girls from competing on girls’ sports teams.
DeWine said he worried about underground clinics being created in response to legislation.
“I am concerned that there could be fly-by-night providers, clinics, that might be dispending medication to adults with no counseling and no basic standards to assure quality care,” DeWine said.
He said he wants transitions to require a “multidisciplinary team to support an individual through care, included but not limited to, an endocrinologist, a bioethicist and a psychiatrist.”
He also said he wants rules that require “mental health counseling prior to being considered for any other treatment.”
DeWine also said the state would collect “deidentified data” on gender dysphoria.
“The Ohio Department of Health will be filing rules today for public comment that once effective will require healthcare providers across the state of Ohio to report what’s referred to as deidentified data that will be shared at an aggregate level on cases of gender dysphoria and subsequent treatment,” he said.