COLUMBUS, Ohio — This has been an ongoing topic of discussion for months. 

But the day is here, and the Ohio "bathroom bill" is now in effect, banning transgender students from using bathrooms that match their gender identity. Spectrum News 1 spoke to parents and students to learn how they feel the about new law. 

"There's a safe place. There's a safe space, real happy to hear that," said Aaron Douglas, a Columbus West High School parent.

He was getting emotional as he shared how happy he is about Senate Bill 104 going into effect. Douglas feels relieved his daughter can feel safe. 

“I've nothing against trans people, but with what's going on with my daughter, I just. I felt helpless. Like I couldn't help her in here, because it's been, you know, you got to be politically correct,” Douglas said.

The bill is called the Protect All Students Act, and families Spectrum News 1 spoke with at West High School believe this will keep students safe. 

“It's like dangerous for, like, male and female to be mixed up in a bathroom even if they're trans because they still have them body parts and anything could happen,” said Columbus West High School family member Janiya Terry. 

“I feel like females or males, whatever the case may be, I feel like they're uncomfortable," said West High School family member Shaniya Williams. "I know as a female, I would be. Because you still were born a man whether you have the part or not."

However, West High School student Jalaya Rogers says it’s not fair to trans students. 

“If a girl decides to be a male, she would have to use the girl bathroom even though she got her parts changed," Rogers said. "If so, I just don't think it's right."

This bill impacts primary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education. Despite pushback from trans rights activists, trans students and their parents, schools across the state are complying. Just recently, Columbus City Schools rescinded their bathroom policy in order to comply.

Scott DiMauro, president of the Ohio Education Association, says this bill puts a target on the backs of transgender students. 

“Our number one concern is we want every single student to feel safe in schools," DiMauro said. "And so we had concerns about the bathroom bill because it does really kind of put a target on the backs of transgender students. But we also understand that everyone in school, no matter how they identify, needs to feel safe. And so I'm hopeful that schools will find common sense ways to implement the bill."

As far as how this new law will be enforced, Spectrum News 1 reached out to school districts across central Ohio, and they all declined an interview. However, some are already feeling the impact. Upper Arlington City Schools just spent more than $2,000 on new bathroom signage in its elementary and high schools.