Ohio Republican lawmakers introduce House Bill 693, aiming to prevent child services from investigating parents solely for not affirming a child’s gender identity, sparking debate over child welfare and parental rights.
House Bill 693: Ohio Lawmakers Propose Bill to Protect Parents Over Gender Identity Disputes
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two Republican state lawmakers have introduced legislation designed to prevent child protective services from investigating parents solely for refusing to affirm a child’s preferred gender identity.
State Representatives Gary Click (R-Vickery) and Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Township) proposed House Bill 693, called the Affirming Families First Act. The lawmakers said the bill responds to concerns that some children services agencies may have challenged parental rights based on how parents address their child’s gender identity.
“This legislation protects families from government overreach,” Williams said. “Affirming biological sex is not abuse, neglect, or contrary to a child’s best interest. Parents have a constitutional right to raise their children consistent with biological reality, and we will continue to protect that right.”
Click and Williams cited media reports suggesting that Cuyahoga County’s Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) had asked about gender identity when screening for abuse. Click said legislation is necessary to clarify limits, even though he had not directly contacted the agency.
Scott Britton, assistant director of the Public Children Services Association of Ohio, said DCFS followed federal grant guidelines that have since expired. He added that while parents have constitutional rights, caseworkers must present evidence in court to challenge parental fitness.
“The picture painted of our system is one I didn’t recognize,” Britton said. “We are not actively seeking children to remove from homes without clear evidence of abuse or neglect.” He noted, however, that LGBT youth remain overrepresented in the child welfare system, often because of conflict or abuse at home.
Both Click and Williams emphasized that H.B. 693 would not protect parents engaging in abusive or neglectful behavior. “Abuse is abuse,” Click said.
Family law expert Jennifer Goldson raised concerns that the bill could limit judicial discretion. “It tells judges what constitutes abuse rather than allowing them to make decisions based on evidence,” Goldson said, noting the legislation prioritizes parental rights over child welfare in certain cases.
Democratic leaders criticized the bill. House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn called it a distraction from supporting vulnerable youth, while Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio described the legislation as a “solution looking for a problem” targeting transgender individuals.
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