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Ohio House Passes Bill Expanding Public Indecency Laws; Critics Say It Targets Drag Performers
House Bill 249 criminalizes obscene drag and gender performances outside adult venues with penalties up to a fourth-degree felony, passed 63-30 in the Ohio House.
- On Wednesday, the Ohio House voted 63-30 to pass House Bill 249, restricting drag and gender performances to adult cabaret venues. The bill now heads to the Ohio Senate.
- Primary sponsor Rep. Josh Williams said the bill shields the next generation from "premature sexualization, from the erosion of their innocence." Proponents argue the measure protects children from obscene content.
- Rep. Jamie Callender broke party lines to vote against the bill. Rep. Dontavious L. Jarrells argued the legislation "dehumanizes" transgender Ohioans, calling it "an attack on human lives."
- Violations involving minors or performances deemed obscene face penalties ranging from first-degree misdemeanor to fourth-degree felony. House Bill 249 defines obscenity as content that "arouse lust."
- The bill moves to the Ohio Senate for consideration. Equality Ohio Education Fund Executive Director Dwayne Steward warned the government's power to police attire is "just the beginning.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Ohio Republicans Advance Drag Ban Critics Call Unconstitutional
COLUMBUS, OHIO — The Ohio House approved legislation Wednesday that would ban certain drag performances in public spaces, sending the proposal to the state Senate for further consideration. Lawmakers passed House Bill 249 in a 63-30 vote, with one Republican joining Democrats in opposition. The bill seeks to restrict “adult cabaret performances” from taking place outside designated adult venues, expanding the definition to include performers who…
Ohio House passes bill to ban public drag shows
The Ohio Statehouse. (Photo by David DeWitt, Ohio Capital Journal.)The Ohio House has passed a bill that would ban drag shows in public. The House voted 63-30 to pass Ohio House Bill 249 during Wednesday’s session. Ohio State Rep. Jamie Callender, R-Concord, joined Ohio Democratic House members in voting no. Such bans in other states have been repeatedly shot down by courts as unconstitutional government censorship of freedom of speech and expre…
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