Rep. Jarrells delivers major win as equal housing provision included in state budget bill

COLUMBUS— Rep. Dontavius Jarrells (D-Columbus) today applauded the inclusion of his bipartisan equal housing legislation, House Bill (HB) 354, within the recently signed state budget. Rep. Jarrells introduced the measure alongside Rep. Haraz Ghanbari (R-Perrysburg). It would void language in any existing deed that restricts the sale, transfer or lease of real property to individual based on race, color, religion, sex, military status, familial status, ancestry, disability, or national origin. The bill also protects from civil liability attorneys who discover and remove such discriminatory language from a deed.

“I am proud to have worked across the aisle to expand equal housing opportunities to all Ohioans. There is no just reason for Ohioans to be impacted by the use of discriminatory covenants in deeds, and I am glad my colleagues joined us to take this necessary step in creating a better Ohio for all of us,” said Rep. Jarrells.