CINCINNATI (WXIX) – The Ohio State Senate passed House Bill 104 on Wednesday, which includes regulations on school bathrooms.

The bill would prohibit students from using restrooms designated for the opposite sex, require schools to designate restrooms based on sex, and prohibit schools from creating restrooms that can be used by either sex.

Rep. Adam Bird of New Richmond wrote the bill that ultimately became this legislation. FOX 19 has reached out to his office for comment and is still awaiting a response.

His office released a statement from the representative after it passed.

“This legislation has always been about protecting students, and I think that’s something we should all be able to agree on,” Bird said. “Many Ohioans do not want their local schools to allow opposite-sex access to restrooms or locker rooms. The Protect All Students Act will provide clarity and a unified approach for school leaders across the state.

FOX 19 spoke with Shawn Jeffers, co-president of the Cincinnati chapter of GLSEN, an organization focused on supporting LGBTQ students and preventing discrimination.

He said that for the children they work with, safety and health are the first priority, and he is concerned about how this bill could affect them. “Some of our trans or non-binary students are already telling us that they sometimes don’t eat or drink during school. day because they don’t feel comfortable going to the bathroom,” he said.

State Sen. Niraj Antani of Miamisburg provided a statement in support of the bill, saying, “No young girl should be forced to go into the same bathroom as a biological male. I was proud to support this legislation.

Jeffers expressed doubt that the bill prevents anything common. “There is no instance where there was a predatory dynamic,” he said. “If this happens, it’s not a trans issue, it’s a sexual assault issue, which we already have laws on the books for. This does not solve any problem that is not intended. »

He explained that in his opinion, every student and young person needs to figure out who they are as they grow up, and this bill would prevent that from happening more than it would prevent any harm from allowing someone to use the toilet of their choice.

The bill does not explain any enforcement protocols for the rules it would introduce.

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