COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohio’s two-year, $60 billion operating budget goes into effect next week, with several high-profile LGBTQ+ provisions left out after Gov. Mike DeWine’s line-item vetoes this summer.
The budget, signed into law by DeWine on June 30, codifies language stating that male and female are the only recognized sexes under state policy, and that these sexes are “not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.” Watch a previous NBC4 report on Ohio’s 2026-27 budget in the video player above.
Lawmakers originally proposed additional provisions targeting LGBTQ+ content and services. These include a rule requiring libraries to relocate materials related to sexual orientation or gender identity in a portion of the library not primarily open to youth, a ban on funding to youth shelters that “promote or affirm social gender transition,” and a restriction on the display of non-government flags on state buildings that opponents argued was designed to ban Pride flags.
All three of those provisions were either fully or partially vetoed by DeWine.
The governor rejected the library materials rule in full, calling it vague and unnecessary given existing state laws that restrict obscene or harmful materials for minors. He also partially vetoed the shelter provision, stating that youth in crisis should be met “where that child is at emotionally,” even if that includes using their preferred name or pronouns.
“A homeless child has been through a horrible experience,” DeWine wrote in his veto message. “If a shelter has to call a homeless youth a pronoun that is incongruent with that youth’s gender to get that person into a shelter so the child won’t freeze to death, it needs to be done without fear of getting funding clawed back.”
DeWine also issued a partial veto on the flag display language, which would have limited flags flown at state-owned buildings to only a narrow list. The revised language allows the governor discretion to approve additional flags, including those representing U.S. military branches and potentially others.
The vetoed items have become the focus of continued debate in the General Assembly. In July, House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) said lawmakers were considering an override vote on the library materials provision, which he said had drawn interest during the legislature’s summer recess. Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery), who sponsored the original language, has continued to push for the override, arguing that LGBTQ+ content is inappropriate for young children.
Library leaders and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups have spoken out against the proposed restriction. Columbus Metropolitan Library CEO Lauren Hagan said the rule would impose a costly and unnecessary burden on public libraries, calling it “censorship.”
Meanwhile, the provision recognizing only two sexes remains in the enacted budget. Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Ashville) said the language conforms with federal guidance issued under the Trump administration. Critics, including Equality Ohio, warned the policy could affect access to care and legal recognition for transgender and intersex individuals.
The budget’s LGBTQ+-related outcomes follow debate over whether such measures belong in fiscal legislation. Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Westlake) said the provisions should have been introduced as standalone bills open to public testimony, rather than added to the budget.
