Bill on school bathroom use by transgender students clears Ohio Legislature, heads to governor

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Senate on Wednesday approved a ban on transgender students using bathrooms that fit their gender identities and sent the measure to Republican Gov. Mike DeWine.

The Republican-backed bill applies to public K-12 schools and institutions of higher education. It requires the schools to designate separate bathrooms, locker rooms and overnight accommodations “for the exclusive use” of either males and females, based on one's gender assigned at or near birth, in both school buildings and facilities used for a school-sponsored event.

The legislation would not apply to school employees, emergencies or people helping young children or those with disabilities, and schools would still be able to provide single-use and family bathroom facilities.

State Sen. Jerry Cirino, a Kirtland Republican, said the bill “is about safety and security.”