Ohio Governor Mike DeWine late Monday night issued a series of line‑item vetoes in the newly passed two‑year state budget (House Bill 96), igniting debate within his own GOP and triggering early discussions of a legislative override.
Among the most contentious cuts were a series of line‑item vetoes late Monday night, provisions targeting public libraries and “LGBTQ+ services”. A particularly controversial clause would require materials “related to sexual orientation or gender identity” to be shelved in restricted sections away from juveniles, a measure library stakeholders warn may amount to state‑sanctioned censorship.
“Legal experts have already raised constitutional red flags, warning that the HB 96 language could violate both state and federal free speech protections,” legal advisers to the Ohio Library Council told Fox 19. The group estimates compliance could cost libraries millions in time and resources. Cuyahoga Falls staff alone anticipate a $3.1 million price tag.
DeWine emphasized that his decision comes after careful consideration of community impacts. “These libraries are free. They’re the center of the community,” he told reporters, warning that even innocuous titles referencing “a female character” could be ensnared by the restrictions.
The governor also vetoed cuts to service. He struck language halting funding for youth homeless shelters, mental health programs for transgender or nonbinary individuals, and efforts aimed at early‑childhood mental health. DeWine has defended gender‑affirming care as essential to the mental well-being of so-called “trans youth” and previously vetoed a separate bill banning such care, which was vetoed later and overridden by Republicans in 2024.
School finance provisions drew DeWine’s ire as well. He nixed measures capping district carryover reserves at 40%, redirecting excess funds back to taxpayers, and restricting the use of emergency levies, moves he contends impede local autonomy. “This is a state that gives due respect to the local communities in regard to running the schools,” he asserted.
Finally, DeWine removed two high-profile legislative priorities: financing for the new Cleveland Browns stadium and language proposing a 2.75 percent flat income tax. He expressed sensitivity toward using bond issuances versus unclaimed funds for stadium construction, and warned that a flat tax or total repeal could undermine critical services. “Not one time did a company say I can’t come to Ohio because your income tax is too high. We’d have to look at what the consequences are for our ability to fund education and do other things,” he said.
The vetoes have drawn swift rebuke from legislative conservatives. Rep. Ron Ferguson, R-Wintersville, told Ohio.news this morning, “The veto I wanted to see was on seizing Ohioans’ money to pay for the Cleveland Browns stadium.” Rep. Beth Lear, R-Galena, posted her initial reaction this morning on X, “disappointment doesn’t begin to cover it. The Governor’s vetoes gutted essential reforms”. Ohio.News reached out to Representative Gary Click, R-Vickery, for comment this morning, he perhaps best summarized conservative frustration by saying, “It’s time for One Big Beautiful Override.”
On so-called “gender affirming care,” the 2024 override casts a long shadow: the Senate then overrode DeWine’s veto with a 24‑8 vote, and the House followed suit at 65‑28. Conservative Republicans, then and now, have framed DeWine’s stance as a betrayal. In January, former President Trump called him “done” and urged the legislature to override.
Origins of the override centered on fears the veto would limit legislative authority on so-called “gender affirming care” and so-called “transgender” athletes participation in women’s sports. DeWine, however, emphasized parental discretion: “These are gut‑wrenching decisions that should be made by parents and doctors.”
Whether similar conservative momentum will form to challenge the current vetoes remains uncertain. Overrides require a three‑fifths majority in both chambers, a threshold currently within reach of Ohio Republicans, who hold veto-proof control. Unlike the single-issue override of January, House Bill 96 packages dozens of measures across social, educational, and fiscal domains, potentially dividing support.
Lawmakers will soon decide whether to respect the governor’s checks or deploy a constitutional override. Either path promises a protracted standoff over the state’s direction on libraries, so-called “transgender” services, education, and tax policy, reflecting broader ideological tensions within Ohio’s GOP.
