Columbus, Ohio - Ohio Governor Mike DeWine on Wednesday said he had signed an anti-trans school bathroom bill into law despite urgent warnings from LGBTQ+ rights advocates.

Ohio's SB 104, dubbed the "Protect All Students Act," would bar transgender people of all ages at public and private K-12 schools, colleges, and universities from using bathrooms, locker rooms, and changing rooms that correspond with their gender identity.

The schools would be required to label such multi-person facilities as being only for either males or females, referring to sex assigned at or near birth.

The bathroom ban – which only contains very narrow exceptions – is embedded within a broader bill on the state's College Credit Plus program.

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Advocates were hoping the governor would veto the bill, as he did previously with an anti-trans gender-affirming care and sports ban. The state legislature ultimately overrode those vetoes.

"We made it clear to Governor DeWine and Ohio legislators that SB 104 does nothing to make trans students safer in schools, and in fact makes life more dangerous for trans kids in Ohio," Equality Ohio Executive Director Dwayne Steward said in a statement.

"We are deeply disappointed that Governor DeWine has allowed this dangerous bill to become law that puts vulnerable trans youth at risk for abuse and harassment. Equality Ohio will continue to stand in solidarity with our transgender communities and their families, and we will always fight for fairness in Ohio."

The bathroom ban is due to take effect in late February 2025. The ACLU of Ohio announced it is "closely considering next steps" after the governor's signature.