Overview
- The Ohio House, which voted 63-30 on Wednesday, sent HB 249 to the Senate.
- HB 249 broadens the definition of “adult cabaret” to include performers presenting a gender identity different from sex assigned at birth using clothing, makeup, or prosthetics, and confines such shows to adult venues or places without minors.
- Sponsors Josh Williams and Angie King present the bill as child protection and cite a Xenia YMCA locker-room case in their push, while Republican Jamie Callender joined Democrats in voting no.
- The measure sets a first-degree misdemeanor for performances before minors and makes obscene acts felonies in some cases, with explicit exemptions for non-obscene artistic works and for breastfeeding.
- Civil-rights groups say the language could police everyday appearance and chill speech, and coverage notes splits in emphasis, with The Advocate and PinkNews focusing on impacts on transgender people and the Ohio Capital Journal highlighting likely constitutional fights after courts curbed similar laws elsewhere.