(The Center Square) – State Attorney General Dave Yost took his fight to keep the state’s ban on puberty blockers in place to the Ohio Supreme Court.
After an appeals court failed to issue a stay to its ruling that ruled the ban unconstitutional, Yost wants the state’s higher court to leave the law in place while he continues to appeal.
Yost filed his second motion for a stay late Thursday.
“This fight is far from over – and until it is, there’s no sense in toggling the law on and off like a light switch,” Yost said in a statement. “With the case now in the hands of the Ohio Supreme Court, we believe the law remains in effect as the case moves forward. We hope that the Ohio Supreme Court will confirm that, so there’s no doubt that our children remain protected.”
The 10th District Court of Appeals denial of Yost’s first motion for a stay leaves a Franklin County Court of Common Pleas injunction stopping part of House Bill 68 from taking effect.
Yost appealed that ruling and lost in the 10th District. He’s appealing the injunction to the Supreme Court.
“We look forward to showing once again that the Legislature acted properly in enacting this constitutional law, which protects our children from irreversible medical decisions,” Yost said. “I remain confident that the law will be upheld.”
The court blocked the provision that banned puberty blockers and other prescription drugs for minors. It left in place a ban on gender-affirming surgeries for minors and a ban on boys playing girls sports.
The lawsuit, filed a year ago by two sets of parents with help from the ACLU, did not challenge House Bill 68’s provisions that banned gender-affirming surgery for minors and males playing female sports.
The ruling said the state does not ban the same drugs when used for other reasons, which makes the ban inequitable. It also said the ban interferes with parents’ rights to make health care decisions for their children.
