COLUMBUS, Ohio (NEWSnet/AP) — Ohio has banned gender-affirming care for minors and restricted transgender women’s and girls’ participation on sports teams.

The Republican-dominated Senate voted Wednesday to override Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto.

The law bans gender-affirming surgery and hormone therapy, and restricts mental health care for transgender people under age 18. The measure also bans transgender girls and women from girls’ and women’s sports teams at both the K-12 and collegiate level.

Officials expect the law to take effect in roughly 90 days. Earlier this month, the Republican-majority House had voted to override the veto.

DeWine reiterated Wednesday that he vetoed the legislation, to the chagrin of his party, to protect parents and children from government overreach on medical decisions. But in the first week of January, he signed an executive order banning gender-affirming surgery for people under 18.

Senate Minority Leader Nickie J. Antonio, a Cleveland-area Democrat, called the measure “bullying” and said the Legislature should be dealing with bigger issues such a mental health and substance use disorders rather than those that ostracize transgender youth and hinder parental rights. Advocates are fatigued, but not too tired to fight back, she said.

“I hope that this is the last time, this legislative session, that we’re working to take away the rights of people from the LGBTQ community,” said Antonio, who is part of the LBGTQ+ community.

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