Ohio House Bill 8
LOVEboldly's Stance: OPPOSE
Why should Christians care about Ohio HB8?
Important Note
The Ohio General Assembly is currently on recess and likely will not return until after the November 5 elections. We anticipate an L-Duck session to begin around November 12 and continue for approximately a month during which the legislature may try to move any number of bills that they have not previously passed.
Please prepare now for an ACTIVE organizing and advocacy season during the L-Duck session. However, please refrain from taking action now. Let's get ready and hold back until the session begins.
Summary - HB8
HB8 is a school censorship bill like the "don't say gay/don't say Trans" bills proposed and enacted in other states. However, HB8 goes further and involves a vague, poorly defined process by which items can be removed from schools. HB8 would also force teachers, administrators, and school counselors to disclose to parents the gender identity and sexual orientation of students even if the student has asked that their parents not be told.
Status of the Bill
(as of November 5, 2024)
HB8 was passed by the House on June 21, 2023. It was introduced in the Senate on September 12, 2023. It was assigned to the Senate Education Committee on September 13, 2023. The last hearing on HB8 was held held in the Senate on June 26, 2024. While the bill was updated (not improved), it was not voted on and remains in committee. Commentators have suggested that HB8 may move quickly in the L-Duck session.
Take Action
1. Call Chair Brenner (614-466-8086) and urge him not to bring HB8 to a committee vote.
2. Email and call the members of the Senate Education Committee (click here for their website). Urge them to vote NO on HB8.
3. Call or email your senator. Tell them to vote NO on HB 8.
(Don't know who your senator or representative is? Click here to find out. Just use the search function at the bottom of the page.)
Congregational Action*
1. Members of your congregation can participate in all the actions above.
2. Donate supplies to Trans Allies of Ohio for their community care rooms. During almost every hearing for bills that will impact the LGBTQIA+ community, Trans Allies of Ohio holds safer space for rest and fellowship. They would appreciate the support of congregations for food, beverage, and other items to continue making these spaces affirming of all people.
3. If your congregation is not yet a Church Partner with LOVEboldly consider becoming a partner.
4. Encourage your members to donate to LOVEboldly or one of our strategic partners including Equality Ohio, TransOhio, Trans Allies of Ohio, Honesty for Ohio Education, and the ACLU of Ohio.
Additional Resources on Ohio House Bill 8
*Legal Stuff
We're not lawyers and nothing we say should be taken as legal advice. Please consult your congregational and denominational legal counsel for legal advice. That said, we know congregations sometimes wonder what they can and cannot do when it comes to advocacy.
Like LOVEboldly, most churches are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and as such are tax exempt. Donors to 501(c)(3) organizations can also, under some circumstances, deduct their donations from their taxes (another area where people should consult a professional which LOVEboldly is not).
DO - Churches and other 501(c)(3) nonprofits can engage in issue-based advocacy. This means we can publicly support or oppose policies, bills, regulations, and other governmental actions. In most cases our support or opposition is in the form of educating people and then arguing why people should support or oppose a particular issue. Everything on this page is an example of issue-based advocacy in opposition to HB8.
DON'T - Churches and other 501(c)(3) organizations cannot engage in partisan politics. We can neither endorse particular politicians nor can we lobby politicians or government officials. We can hold nonpartisan events such as a voter registration drive. We all have examples of churches behaving badly: pastors endorsing candidates from the pulpit, sermons demonizing other candidates, and many more. Don't model their behavior.