Earlier that year, two of Fischer’s Republican colleagues – both running against transgender candidates in the general election – used the same obscure law to challenge the candidacy of three transgender Ohioans seeking public office, including their own opponents. Now Fischer is proposing a new bill that would formally address the name-change law and protect transgender candidates from being forcibly outed during the election process. Within weeks, transgender candidates Ari Childrey and Bobbi Arnold were challenged by their own opponents – conservative Republican Reps. Rodney Creech (R-West Alexandria) and Angie King (R-Celina) – using the same rule. However, their challengers sparked an ongoing debate around election reform and transgender candidates. Democratic Reps. Michelle Grimm (Toledo) and Beryl Brown-Piccolantonio (Dublin) countered the bill with HB 467, which would have granted transgender candidates an exemption to the disclosure rule.