House Bill 693, a 55-page proposal unveiled Wednesday, would overturn local ordinances banning conversion therapy for minors and give teachers the right to decline using a student’s preferred name or pronouns if it conflicts with their personal or religious beliefs. The measure also prohibits state agencies from penalizing parents who refuse to affirm a child’s gender identity.
Supporters of the bill frame it as a defense of parental rights and free speech. “This legislation ensures parents — not bureaucrats or activist educators — have the final say in their children’s upbringing,” said Rep. [Name], R-[District], one of the bill’s primary sponsors. “No teacher should be coerced into speech that violates their beliefs.”
Opponents argue the proposal would erode hard-fought protections for LGBTQ+ youth and open the door to discrimination in schools and communities. LGBTQ+ advocacy groups have condemned the bill, saying it would endanger vulnerable children by dismantling safety nets meant to protect them from emotional and psychological harm.
“Removing local conversion therapy bans and restricting support in schools sends a chilling message to LGBTQ+ students—that their identities are not valid,” said [Name], policy director for Equality Ohio. “This bill strips away local authority and the progress communities have made to create safer, more inclusive schools.”
House Bill 693 now awaits assignment to a committee, where hearings could begin in the coming weeks. With Republicans holding a supermajority in both chambers, the bill’s prospects remain uncertain but highly significant as part of a growing national trend of state-level legislation targeting gender identity and parental rights in education.