Sara Carruthers | The Ohio House of Representatives
Sara Carruthers | The Ohio House of Representatives
COLUMBUS—The Ohio House passed House Bill 1 yesterday, a piece of legislation aimed at banning foreign nationals from contributing to ballot initiatives, as announced by State Rep. Sara Carruthers (R-Hamilton).
Currently, both state and federal laws prohibit foreign nationals from donating to political candidates. However, no such restrictions exist for ballot issues. This gap has potentially exposed Ohio to foreign national interference. By expanding the current law to include a ban on foreign donations to Ohio’s ballot issues, the new legislation aims to protect the state's election integrity and prevent future foreign influence.
"I believe that most Ohioans will agree that our state ballot issues should be free from foreign interference," said Carruthers. "I am proud that my colleagues and I passed House Bill 1 today to protect the integrity of our democracy."
House Bill 1 proposes several measures:
- Prohibit direct and indirect contributions from foreign nationals;
- Ban spending, including independent expenditures, of funds tied to foreign nationals; and
- Ensure independent investigatory and enforcement power by the Ohio Attorney General.
House Bill 1 now awaits further consideration by the Ohio Senate.
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