Ohio advances bill to protect single-sex school restrooms

The Ohio House on Wednesday night passed the Protect All Students Act which would prevent males from entering women’s restrooms in schools and vice versa. The law also would prevent schools from designating as gender-neutral any bathrooms or locker rooms designed for use by multiple individuals at one time. Family restrooms and family shower rooms with only one shower or toilet would still be allowed. The statute would apply to elementary, secondary, and higher education facilities in the state. It would also apply to nonpublic charter schools in Ohio.

Does this only apply to restrooms? The law also prevents biologically male students who self-identify as female from sharing overnight accommodations with female students. The same prohibition applies to biologically female students who self-identify as male. Schools could provide students with single-occupancy accommodations, according to the bill text.

What happens with this bill now? The bill was offered on the House floor as an amendment to a Senate education bill and passed along party lines in a 60-31 vote, local media reported. It will next go back to the Senate, which is not scheduled to again hold session until after the general election in November. The Ohio Senate has a Republican majority. If it approves the bill, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine could see the bill on his desk yet this year.

Dig deeper: Read Daniel R. Suhr’s column in WORLD Opinions about how Americans don’t have a right to change their gender.