Rep. Lett Expresses Opposition to HB 1

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Crystal Lett (D-Columbus) today urged fellow legislators to join her in opposing House Bill (HB) 1, which received its 4th hearing today in the House Public Safety Committee. HB 1, also known as the Ohio Property Protection Act, establishes a radius of property ownership exclusion for people from countries deemed “foreign adversaries” by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. If the bill passes, people with nationalities from the list would be prohibited from owning property within 10 miles of “critical infrastructure” and would have two years to vacate their current residence. 

“I am glad to see this legislation has been amended, but it still has potential for significant harm. The proponents of this bill have not produced credible evidence that restricting individuals from property ownership effectively boosts national security. In a broader sense, when U.S. citizens and green card holders are being indiscriminately taken by ICE, we clearly cannot trust the architects of these policies to ensure that the bill’s carveouts are properly followed,” said Rep. Lett. “I see how much immigrants contribute to my community, and I don’t want them to be forced to leave. These people are not threats to national security. Immigrants make the American Dream possible.

HB 1 had its 4th hearing today and heard mostly opponent testimony. This bill:

• Defines “protected property” as real property in Ohio that is agricultural land or land located within ten miles of a military installation or critical infrastructure facility;
• Exempts property acquired by descent, debt collection, and an agent/fiduciary/trustee of a prohibited person acting in the person’s interest and is not circumventing the bill’s restrictions;
• Requires a county prosecutor notified of an alleged violation to the Attorney General for investigation; requires the Attorney General to investigate alleged violations and bring positive determinations to the county court of common pleas; and
• Requires written brokerage policies on agency to be given to prospective sellers, tenants, and purchasers to include information on prohibition and that the brokerage has no duty to determine or inquire whether a purchaser or seller is subject to the bill’s restrictions.