New Ohio House bill combines parts of Florida’s ‘don’t say gay’ with prohibition against

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two Republican lawmakers introduced new legislation in the Ohio House that would combine parts of Florida’s don’t-say-gay law with sections of another Ohio bill seeking to prohibit promoting ‘divisive concepts’ about race in history and current events education.

Republican state Reps. Mike Loychik of Trumbull County and Jean Schmidt of the Cincinnati area introduced House Bill 616 on Monday.

The bill is aimed at school districts, charter schools, science, technology, engineering and math or STEM schools, as well as private schools that take Ohio children on vouchers.

In grades kindergarten through 3, the bill would prohibit the schools from teaching, using or providing any curriculum or instruction materials on sexual orientation or gender identity. In grades 4 through 12, the schools would have to stick with age-and developmentally appropriate instruction materials, lessons and curriculum on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The bill is not an direct carbon copy from Florida’s legislation, but it is close. The Florida don’t-say-gay law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis last month, includes a prohibition against “classroom discussion” about sexual orientation or gender identity in grades K-3. Ohio’s bill doesn’t go quite that far.

However, it’s unknown whether Ohio teachers would shut down any discussion about, for instance, a student who has two fathers, for fear of the bill.

This is a breaking news post and will be updated.