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What This Bill Does

HB 249 creates a new criminal offense of "unlawful adult cabaret performance." The bill's definition of "adult cabaret performance" includes performers who exhibit a gender identity different from their "biological sex" using clothing, makeup, prosthetics, or other physical markers. Penalties escalate from misdemeanors to felonies depending on minors' presence and whether the performance is deemed "obscene."

Impact on LGBTQIA+ Ohioans

While supporters frame HB 249 as child protection and obscenity policy, the definitional hook — gender identity differing from biological sex — makes LGBTQIA+ presence itself a potential target in public spaces where minors are present. Civil liberties organizations have emphasized the bill's vagueness and First Amendment risks, noting its breadth may reach beyond staged drag performance to gender nonconformity in public.

Legal & Constitutional Risks

First Amendment — The bill may unconstitutionally restrict protected expression and performance
Vagueness / Overbreadth — Unclear boundaries of what constitutes a "performance" and venue rules
Selective Enforcement — The statutory definition explicitly ties "adult cabaret" to gender identity expression, enabling targeted enforcement
Similar "drag ban" frameworks in other states have faced sustained litigation on these grounds

Timeline

April 29, 2025

Introduced in the House

May 7, 2025

Referred to House Judiciary Committee

March 25, 2026

Reported from committee — favorable 7–4

March 25, 2026

Passed the Ohio House 63–32

March 26, 2026

Introduced in the Ohio Senate

House Floor Vote Breakdown

63

Yeas

32

Nays

4

Not Voting

The following representatives voted Yea on HB 249.

Rep. Abrams, Casey (R-29)
Rep. Barhorst, Brian (R-85)
Rep. Bird, Ty (R-41)
Rep. Brennan, Kevin (R-57)
Rep. Callender, Jamie (R-64)
Rep. Carruthers, Sara (R-51)
Rep. Claggett, Roy (R-87)
Rep. Click, Gary (R-88)
Rep. Creech, Rodney (R-40)
Rep. Cross, Jeff (R-83)
Rep. Cutrona, Al (R-59)
Rep. Davis, Brian (R-75)
Rep. Dean, Bob (R-22)
Rep. Demetriou, Theresa (R-35)
Rep. Dobos, Dave (R-74)
Rep. Edwards, Jay (R-94)
Rep. Ferguson, Bob (R-96)
Rep. Fowler Arthur, Sarah (R-99)
Rep. Ghanbari, Haraz (R-3)
Rep. Gross, Kevin (R-46)
Rep. Hall, Thomas (R-53)
Rep. Hillyer, Brett (R-37)
Rep. Holmes, Adam (R-97)
Rep. Hoops, Jim (R-81)
Rep. John, Marilyn (R-76)
Rep. Johnson, Mark (R-86)
Rep. Jones, Don (R-95)
Rep. Jordan, Kris (R-67)
Rep. Kick, Steve (R-70)
Rep. King, Angela N. (R-84)
Rep. Klopfenstein, Tim (R-82)
Rep. Lampton, Brian (R-73)
Rep. LaRe, Jeff (R-77)
Rep. Lear, Beth (R-61)
Rep. Lipps, Scott (R-62)
Rep. Loychik, Mike (R-63)
Rep. Manchester, Scott (R-54)
Rep. Manning, Phil (R-36)
Rep. Mathews, Adam (R-56)
Rep. McClain, Robert (R-79)
Rep. Merrin, Derek (R-47)
Rep. Miller, Kevin (R-69)
Rep. Newman, Johnathan (R-80)
Rep. Oelslager, Scott (R-48)
Rep. Pavliga, Gail (R-72)
Rep. Plummer, Phil (R-39)
Rep. Powell, Jena (R-52)
Rep. Ray, Sharon (R-66)
Rep. Riedel, Craig (R-31)
Rep. Robinson, Brian (R-60)
Rep. Roemer, Bill (R-38)
Rep. Santucci, Al (R-34)
Rep. Seitz, Bill (R-30)
Rep. Stein, Brian (R-93)
Rep. Stephens, Brian (R-91)
Rep. Stewart, Brian (R-71)
Rep. Stoltzfus, Reggie (R-50)
Rep. Swearingen, D.J. (R-2)
Rep. White, Andrea (R-43)
Rep. Wiggam, Scott (R-1)
Rep. Williams, Josh (R-44)
Rep. Young, Ron (R-45)
Rep. Baldridge, Brian (R-90)