Gov. Mike DeWine is cautious when it comes to vetoing bills approved by the state Legislature, which is controlled by fellow Republicans.

That’s why legislators have rarely voted to override his vetoes during his five years as governor.

But when DeWine vetoed legislation on Dec. 29 to ban gender-affirming care for minors and prohibited transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports, Ohio House Republicans were quick to react.

The House called members back to Columbus for an emergency session Wednesday, just 12 days after DeWine’s veto, to override it in a 65-28 vote with Republicans supporting it and Democrats in opposition.

In his veto, DeWine said: “While there are rare times in the law, in other circumstances, where the state overrules the medical decisions made by the parents, I can think of no example where this is done, not only against the decision of the parents, but also against the medical judgment of the treating physician and the treating team of medical experts.”

DeWine tried to avoid the override by saying in his Dec. 29 veto message that he would sign an executive order — which he did Jan. 5 — banning gender-affirming surgeries for minors. Medical professionals say those procedures don’t occur.

Bans on gender-affirming care for minors, which includes hormone replacement therapy and puberty blockers, and allowing transgender athletes to participate in female sports have been hot-button issues for conservatives.

Ohio would become the 23rd state to enact laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care with most of them facing lawsuits and the 25th to ban transgender athletes playing on female sports teams.

In Ohio, there are seven transgender athletes playing on girls’ high school sports teams.

The Republican-controlled state Senate is likely to override DeWine’s veto in a couple weeks.

State Rep. Nick Santucci, R-Howland, said the bill “is commonsense legislation that will protect impressionable young children from making irreversible decisions about their gender and ensure a level playing field for female student athletes. I urge my Senate colleagues to join us in doing our duty to protect Ohio’s kids.”

State Rep. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield, said: “I was shocked and appalled by Gov. DeWine’s veto on the bill.”

He added: “I stand proudly on the House floor to override this veto. We have a duty as the Legislature to protect our children. Children with gender dysphoria need mental health counseling and treatment, not surgical mutilation and the SAFE (Save Adolescents from Experimentation) Act does exactly that by banning puberty blockers and surgical sex changes for children and keeping boys out of women’s sports.”

State Rep. Mike Loychik, R-Bazetta, posted on X, formerly Twitter, “I voted to override the veto and I’m proud of it. Let’s protect our kids!”

State Rep. Lauren McNally, D-Youngstown, said, “They are two separate issues that never should have been taken up in one bill. I trust physicians and I trust parents to make their own healthcare decisions.”

McNally added: “Ohioans made it clear that they don’t want legislators meddling with their access to healthcare. They said it in August and again in November, but the majority party continues to refuse to listen. We continue to be one of the worst states in the country when it comes to education, infant mortality, food security and more. Those are the things we should be focusing on. Instead, they have us holding emergency sessions to put gag orders on doctors and take away parents’ rights. It’s unbelievable government overreach and misguided priorities.”

State Rep. Monica Robb Blasdel, R-Columbiana, said the House took “a vital step towards protecting children and upholding the integrity of women’s sports in Ohio.”

After the veto, DeWine said: “I continue to believe it is in the best interests of children for these medical decisions to be made by the child’s parents and not by the government.”

The Ohio Senate override is inevitable. The Senate approved the bill with 24 votes and only 20 are needed to override DeWine’s veto. The Senate’s next session is Jan. 24.

State Sen. Michael Rulli, R-Salem, said he is looking “forward to voting for an override in the Senate.”

Rulli said: “When Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed this critical piece of legislation, I was extremely disappointed. This bill protects our children from mutilation, experimentation and from biological men playing in women’s sports.”