Ohio HB245
LOVEboldly Stance: OPPOSE
Important Note
The Ohio General Assembly is currently on recess and likely will not return until after the November 5 elections. We anticipate an L-Duck session to begin around November 12 and continue for approximately a month during which the legislature may try to move any number of bills that they have not previously passed.
Please prepare now for an ACTIVE organizing and advocacy season during the L-Duck session. However, please refrain from taking action now. Let's get ready and hold back until the session begins.
Summary of HB245
HB245 would characterize all drag performances as "adult entertainment" and require that they only occur in "adult cabarets" where no one under the age of 18 could attend. However, the bill is so poorly written that it could be applied to any Trans+ person in general, whether performing in any capacity or simply walking down the street. HB245 is eerily similar to past laws which required women and transmen to always wear at least three pieces of "female" clothing at all times.
Status of the Bill
(as of November 5, 2024)
HB245 was introduced on July 17, 2023. It was assigned to the House Criminal Justice Committee on September 12, 2023. The bill recieved its first hearing (sponsors' hearing) on November 14, 2023, and its second hearing (proponent) on June 5, 2024. At this time no additional hearings have been scheduled.
Take Action
1. Call and email members of the House Criminal Justice Committee and urge them to vote AGAINST HB245You can find the list of committee members here: https://ohiohouse.gov/committees/criminal-justice
2. While an opponent hearing has not yet been scheduled, you can start preparing testimony in opposition to HB245 now. Please do not submit any testimony until it's requested (we will keep you informed).
Congregational Action*
1. Members of your congregation can participate in all the actions above.
2. If your congregation is not yet a Church Partner with LOVEboldly consider becoming a partner.
3. Encourage your members to donate to LOVEboldly or one of our strategic partners including Equality Ohio, TransOhio, Trans Allies of Ohio, Honesty for Ohio Education, and the ACLU of Ohio.
Other Resources Regarding Ohio HB 245
*Legal Stuff
We're not lawyers and nothing we say should be taken as legal advice. Please consult your congregational and denominational legal counsel for legal advice. That said, we know congregations sometimes wonder what they can and cannot do when it comes to advocacy.
Like LOVEboldly, most churches are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and as such are tax exempt. Donors to 501(c)(3) organizations can also, under some circumstances, deduct their donations from their taxes (another area where people should consult a professional which LOVEboldly is not).
DO - Churches and other 501(c)(3) nonprofits can engage in issue-based advocacy. This means we can publicly support or oppose policies, bills, regulations, and other governmental actions. In most cases our support or opposition is in the form of educating people and then arguing why people should support or oppose a particular issue. Everything on this page is an example of issue-based advocacy in opposition to HB8.
DON'T - Churches and other 501(c)(3) organizations cannot engage in partisan politics. We can neither endorse particular politicians nor can we lobby politicians or government officials. We can hold nonpartisan events such as a voter registration drive. We all have examples of churches behaving badly: pastors endorsing candidates from the pulpit, sermons demonizing other candidates, and many more. Don't model their behavior.