Gov. Mike DeWine announced the veto in a news conference, saying it's a question of life and that parents need to make these decisions for their kids.

Gov. Mike DeWine has vetoed a bill that nearly all of his Republican colleagues supported but many in LGBTQ communities and child health leaders opposed. The bill DeWine turned away would have banned trans youth from participating in girls’ sports and would have limited the access of trans children under 18 to some medical treatments related to their gender identity.

“Ultimately, I believe this is about protecting lives. Many parents told me their child would be dead today if they did not receive this treatment,” DeWine said, describing “gut-wrenching decisions that should be made by parents” and informed by doctors and medical professionals.

“These decisions should not be made by the government,” DeWine said, but by the parents who know their kids best.