Ohio lawmakers want to ban college applications from asking preferred pronouns

The Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original story.)

Republican lawmakers introduced a pair of higher education related bills as lame duck begins, including one to ban college applications from asking preferred pronouns.

State Rep. Gail Pavliga, R-Portage County, introduced a bill Thursday that would prohibit a public university from asking for a prospective student’s preferred pronouns on a college application. 

In a similar vein, House Bill 686 would also ban a public university from asking a candidate their preferred pronouns on an employee application. 

Nearly two-thirds of LGBTQ young people said it would be helpful for the people in their lives to know about more pronouns, according to the Trevor Project’s 2023 survey of mental health. 

Name, image and likeness bill

State Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville, introduced a bill that would place limits on the state’s name, image and likeness (NIL) law, particularly when it comes to contracts.  

House Bill 687 would prevent a NIL contract with a student-athlete from remaining in effect after the athlete is done playing college athletics, according to the bill’s language.  It would also ban an athlete’s agent from having a contract representing a student-athlete for NIL deals if the athlete is no longer eligible to play college sports. 

This the second NIL bill introduced so far this General Assembly. State Reps. Adam Mathews, R-Lebanon, and Jay Edwards, R-Nelsonville, introduced House Bill 660 earlier this year that would get rid of gray areas in Ohio’s NIL law.  

In June 2021, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order that allowed student-athletes to benefit from their own name, image and likeness with endorsements and other deals. Ohio college athletes can hire agents, but can’t endorse alcohol, tobacco, adult entertainment or casinos.  

Both of these bills await committee assignments. 

The current General Assembly will come to a close at the end of this year, meaning lawmakers are working to get their bills across the finish line. The Ohio House has four sessions scheduled with an additional three “if needed” sessions scheduled for the rest of the year. The Ohio Senate has five more sessions scheduled.

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