Ohio Senate bill guards against foreign purchases of land near military bases
Jun. 12—An Ohio Senate committee is considering a bill that would restrict foreign ownership of land across much of Ohio, including areas close to military installations.
The bill restricts ownership of land by people or businesses from nations considered adversarial to the United States.
The list of properties barred from such ownership lie within 25-miles of military bases, such as Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, or infrastructure considered critical, ranging from water treatment facilities, electric-power generation plants and other sites.
A spokesman for Gov. Mike DeWine said the governor's office is reviewing the bill, which remains in Senate committee.
Beavercreek City Manager Pete Landrum said the Wright-Patterson Regional Council of Governments, of which his city is a member, has not discussed the bill or the issues involved yet.
"From a city of Beavercreek perspective, City Council passed restrictions — we believe the first city in the country — back in 2023," Landrum said.
In September 2023, Beavercreek City Council passed a law allowing city planners to scrutinize proposed real estate investments or zoning changes, including moves close to Wright-Patterson.
"As Beavercreek has already taken action, yes, I believe it is important," Landrum added. "I have not thoroughly reviewed all provisions of SB 88, but in concept it is something all communities surrounding bases should review."
Wright-Patterson is one of the nation's most important Air Force bases, home to missions and units responsible for equipping the Air Force, maintaining and developing its fleet and researching future weapons and equipment.
The regional council is a body of representatives from municipal governments located around the base, including Beavercreek, Fairborn, Dayton, Huber Heights, Riverside and others. It essentially acts as a municipal government itself, recognized as such by the state of Ohio, that can purchase, pass zoning and take actions similar to any Ohio municipality found on a map.
A Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce executive testified against the bill late last month.
"We are concerned that Senate Bill 88 could negatively impact diverse Ohio companies whose owners are headquartered in certain foreign countries, restrict their growth and prohibit future expansion opportunities in our state," Stephanie Keinath, executive vice president of the chamber, recently told the Ohio Senate General Government Committee. "SB 88 represents a significant and unprecedented government involvement that not only impacts business operations but also the very ownership of a private business on private property."
Keinath cited the example of Fuyao Glass America, a Chinese-owned auto glass producer that brought new economic life to a former General Motors assembly plant in Moraine more than a decade ago.
Chris Kershner, president and chief executive of the chamber, agreed that national security is a top priority.
"I am confident that the right balance will be reached that ensures our region continues to enjoy its strong economic success," Kershner said. "I know the General Assembly will be thoughtful about this issue so we can avoid unintended consequences that could drive employers and thousands of jobs away. I don't think that will happen."
Advocates say the bill protects national security.
"I introduced this bill because I strongly believe that Ohio's land should not be for sale to those who seek to destroy the American way of life," Ohio Sen. Terry Johnson, R-McDermott, told the Ohio Capital Journal.
Nationally, similar legislation has been introduced into the U.S. Senate.
China owned some 350,000 acres of farmland across 27 states last year, according to national reports that cite data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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