Status: Introduced (February 2026) and referred to committee in the Ohio House.
House Bill 693 would modify Ohio law related to parental rights, child welfare practices, and how agencies address a child’s sex and gender identity.
Key provisions include:
Establishes that a parent or guardian’s decision to affirm a child’s sex assigned at birth cannot, by itself, be used as evidence of abuse or neglect.
Limits the ability of child welfare agencies and courts to take action against parents based solely on those decisions.
Prohibits child welfare agencies from collecting or maintaining data on a child’s sexual orientation or gender identity without parental involvement.
Restricts agencies from screening children for sexual orientation or gender identity in certain contexts.
Would override local policies related to conversion therapy restrictions for minors.
May affect how schools interact with child welfare agencies and mandated reporting processes.
Could influence how student information related to identity is collected, stored, or shared.
Schools may need to review policies regarding student support services and confidentiality practices.
May intersect with existing district policies related to student well-being and family communication.