Latest news with #TerryJohnson
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Green card holder? You still may be banned from buying property in the US
Are you a green card holder living in Ohio—or planning to move there? You may soon face new restrictions on where you can own property. Lawmakers in the Republican-led state have introduced two Bills that would ban foreign nationals and some permanent residents from buying land near military and critical infrastructure zones. House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 88 propose a 40-kilometre restriction zone around military bases, power stations, water treatment plants and gas pipelines. The move, backed by Republicans in the state legislature, is part of a broader effort seen across several US states to restrict land ownership by nationals from countries identified as 'foreign adversaries.' These countries include China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba and Venezuela. The restriction would also apply to businesses linked to those countries and, in some cases, to individuals holding lawful permanent residency. The impact on Indian immigrants—Ohio's largest foreign-born group, numbering over 100,000—is currently unclear. What about Green card holders already owning land? Earlier drafts of the Senate Bill had required existing landowners from foreign adversary countries to sell their property within two years. That provision has now been dropped. Green card holders who already own property in restricted zones would not be forced to sell under the latest version. 'I strongly believe that Ohio's land should not be for sale to those who seek to destroy the American way of life,' said Senator Terry Johnson, who introduced Senate Bill 88. He told local media that while his version closely mirrors the House Bill, it initially took a stricter line by requiring disposals. However, the Senate committee amended the Bill last week to remove that clause. Ohio is not alone As of June 4, several US states have passed or are considering laws restricting land ownership by nationals from countries identified as foreign adversaries by the US government. These include: Florida: Since 2023, laws prohibit citizens from China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela and Syria from owning agricultural land or property near military sites. Texas: Senate Bill 17, passed in 2025, bans land purchases by individuals and entities from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia. Georgia: SB 420, enacted in 2024, restricts nonresident aliens from acquiring agricultural land or property within 10 miles of military bases. Indiana: HB 1183, signed into law in 2024, blocks designated foreign adversaries from owning farmland or land near sensitive sites. Louisiana: HB 238, also passed in 2024, prevents foreign adversaries or controlled entities from owning agricultural land. North Dakota: Since July 2023, the state bans foreign adversaries and their entities from acquiring real estate. Mississippi: SB 2519, enacted in 2024, bars nonresident aliens from majority ownership in agricultural land. Nebraska: State laws prohibit foreign entities from holding land titles beyond five years. Minnesota: Ownership of agricultural land is restricted unless held largely by US citizens or permanent residents. Michigan: Nine Bills target foreign land ownership near military sites and farmland, particularly by China, Russia and Iran. North Carolina: Proposed laws would block adversaries from buying farmland or property near military bases. Illinois: HB 1162 and SB 48 would prevent certain foreign entities from acquiring agricultural land or property near critical infrastructure. Kansas: New 2025 legislation restricts property purchases within 100 miles of military facilities by foreign adversaries. Opposition builds against the Bills Civil rights groups, academics and community members have raised concerns that the Bills are too broad and risk discriminating against immigrants. More than 230 people submitted written testimony against the proposals during a recent committee hearing. 'Imagine somebody who risked their life, escaped North Korea and ended up in Ohio,' Xu Lu, a US citizen and college professor from Findlay said at a press conference aired by WTOL 11, which provides news coverage of northwest Ohio, southeast Michigan and beyond. 'This Bill will tell them they do not belong here.' Fourteen-year-old Melody Miao from Oxford testified that the Bill sends the message that some Americans will never be American enough. 'I grew up here, went to school here, learned the Pledge of Allegiance by heart, memorised the Bill of Rights, and watched fireworks every July 4,' she said. 'You are telling people they are not American enough, no matter how hard they try,' she added. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has warned that similar laws in other states, such as Florida, have already been put on hold pending legal challenges. Lawsuits are expected if Ohio proceeds. 'It is fundamentally wrong, it is profoundly unfair, and it is fuelled by racial animus,' said Gary Daniels, ACLU's chief lobbyist in Ohio in the press conference. 'I struggle to come up with a Bill that has so much hostility against race and nationality as this particular Bill.' Hongmei Li of the Ohio Chinese American Council drew parallels with past discriminatory legislation in the US. 'These Bills represent a step backwards into the darker history of racism in America,' she said. 'It evokes the Chinese Exclusion Act and the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.' Neither House Bill 1 nor Senate Bill 88 has been scheduled for a final vote. If passed, the Secretary of State will be responsible for maintaining a list of banned entities and updating it twice a year.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Asian Americans push back against 'racist' Ohio property bills
[Source] Asian American advocates rallied at the Ohio Statehouse on Tuesday to denounce proposed legislation they describe as discriminatory targeting of immigrants disguised as national security measures. About the bills State legislators are weighing House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 88, both known as the Ohio Property Protection Act, which would bar foreign nationals and businesses from countries designated as 'foreign adversaries' from buying property within 25 miles of critical infrastructure sites. The legislation would expand existing farmland restrictions to include military bases, airports, power stations, water treatment facilities, railroads and telecommunications infrastructure — coverage so broad it would 'effectively blanket the entirety of the state of Ohio,' according to Senate sponsor Terry Johnson (R-McDermott). The U.S. currently designates China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuela under Nicolás Maduro as foreign adversaries. While House Bill 1 would not apply retroactively to existing property owners, Senate Bill 88 originally required current owners to sell their property within two years, though that forced-sale provision was removed at Tuesday's committee hearing. Trending on NextShark: What critics are saying Opponents of the bill reportedly filled the committee hearing room, with more than 100 people attending in person and over 230 submitting written testimony. 'This bill is racist,' said Rep. Anita Somani (D-Dublin), a first-generation immigrant from India, arguing it 'does nothing to protect Ohioans or improve Ohio.' Vincent Wang, who chairs the Asian American Coalition of Ohio, told 10 WBNS that the bills 'will push immigrants out and cause fear, hatred and destroy the Ohio economy.' Critics say the legislation violates constitutional protections, and that existing federal laws already address legitimate security threats without resorting to racial profiling. 'Allowing someone to rent indefinitely but not own is legally inconsistent,' Hongmei Li of the Ohio Chinese American Council told WTVG, calling it an attempt to 'codify racial profiling in law.' Trending on NextShark: The big picture The bills, parallel to others advancing across the country, stem from Gov. Mike DeWine's 2023 veto of similar legislation over concerns about 'unintended economic development consequences.' Asian immigrant-owned businesses in Ohio employed 97,600 people with an annual payroll of $3.3 billion in 2022, according to census data. Understandably, opponents have drawn parallels to historic discrimination, including Chinese exclusion laws and Japanese incarceration camps during World War II. A comparable Florida bill with a smaller 10-mile restriction zone is currently under federal constitutional challenge, with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) promising swift litigation if Ohio's version passes. Trending on NextShark: Lawmakers have yet to schedule votes on either chamber's version of the legislation. This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Yahoo
CMPD identifies victim, suspect in north Charlotte shooting
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have arrested a 44-year-old man following a deadly shooting in north Charlotte on Thursday. Police began investigating a homicide on the 1100 block of West Sugar Creek Road Thursday evening. The victim was identified as 29-year-old Jahquell Villegas. Police continued the investigation and, with help from the community, identified the suspect as 44-year-old Terry Johson. On Friday morning, police arrested Johnson and charged him with murder. Court documents say the shooting began with an altercation in a parking lot. Then, a 911 caller heard a gunshot. The suspect then fled the scene on an electric bike and dropped off the vehicle and bloodied clothes at the home of a woman who knew him as 'Poo.' The woman called 911, court documents say, and spoke with detectives and identified the man who dropped the clothes off as the suspect. Police say the investigation is ongoing and ask that anyone with information call 704-432-8477. WATCH: Family, police plead for justice in killing of man ambushed in York
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Backers urge Ohio lawmakers to pass AI restrictions
State Sen. Louis Blessing, III, R-Colerain Township, is co-sponsoring a measure prohibiting noncompete contracts in Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original article.) Ohio senators heard from supporters Wednesday of a proposal establishing guardrails around media produced with artificial intelligence. The proposal would prohibit the use of AI to create deepfake porn — particularly involving minors. But with provisions requiring watermarks and punishing identity fraud, the bill's impact could extend far beyond the creation of pornography. The bill's sponsors, state Sens. Louis Blessing, R-Colerain Twp., and Terry Johnson, R-McDermott, argue the restrictions will 'prevent potentially harmful uses' of an emerging technology while protecting Ohioans 'safety and privacy.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The bill goes after AI-generated child porn by expanding the definition of obscenity to include an 'artificially generated depiction.' Blessing explained 'current laws against child sexual abuse material require an actual real photo of a child to be able to prosecute someone.' 'With AI not being a real photo,' he added, 'this leads to issues of prosecuting someone generating these photos. Senate bill 163 will give attorneys the ability to prosecute these people.' The sponsors argue AI can also be used to engage in fraud for financial, political and reputational purposes. So, the proposal extends identity fraud statutes to include a 'replica' of an individual's voice or likeness. It prohibits the use of a replica persona to defraud, damage a person's reputation, or depict a person in a state of nudity or engaged in a sexual act. Beyond its prohibitions, the bill aims to get ahead of deceptive uses by requiring any media created with artificial intelligence to include a watermark identifying it as such. Removal of a watermark is subject to a civil lawsuit for damages, and anyone who removes a watermark faces the presumption that they caused the alleged harm. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost praised the measure's 'three-pronged approach.' He argued the watermark requirement 'would provide a minimum level of transparency and notice' when an individual encounters AI-generated content. Speaking about the bill's identity fraud provisions, Yost brought up a case from his time as state auditor. A scammer successfully mimicked a school district's email system and then sent a fake funds transfer request to the accounts payable department posing as the district's financial controller. Best practice, Yost said, would be to call the sender for confirmation. 'But now, in the era of deepfakes with audio,' Yost explained, 'you can send that fake email, call up (accounts payable) using the controller's voice and say, 'Hey, I just sent you an email asking you to do a wire transfer. This is really important. We need to move it. I wanted to follow up with phone calls so you didn't have any questions.'' As for the restrictions on child sexual abuse material, Yost urged lawmakers ensure 'these powerful tools are not used for evil,' and added that 'these are the kinds of things that keep me up at night.' Sen. Kent Smith, D-Euclid, pressed Yost on how useful state legislation can be when it comes to addressing a 'borderless' crime. Yost acknowledged he'd prefer to see federals laws and even international treaties governing the use of AI-generated images. But 'possession or use within Ohio can still be proscribed by this body and it ought to be.' He added that one way to push Congress to act is for states to pass an array of legislation. Lou Tobin, speaking on behalf of the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association, noted many states have passed bills to prohibit AI-generated child sexual abuse material or CSAM. 'As of last month,' he said, 'Thirty-eight states, including every state surrounding Ohio, have enacted laws that criminalize the creation, possession and distribution of artificially generated CSAM.' But while many states have taken action, it's not clear those laws will hold up in court. 'I think a federal district court has found one of these statutes to be in violation of the Ashcroft decision,' Tobin told lawmakers. 'The Ashcroft decision was a U.S. Supreme Court decision from the early 2000s that said you could not criminalize artificially generated images of child pornography because there wasn't a real victim.' In February, a federal judge in Wisconsin threw out one charge related to possession of 'virtual child pornography,' but allowed three others to go forward. Prosecutors in that case have appealed the decision to dismiss the charge. Tobin explained his office and the AG's worked with state lawmakers to narrowly tailor S.B. 163 bill to avoid problems with the First Amendment. Regardless of how the case in Wisconsin or others play out, Tobin agued, 'We think that's a fight worth having.' Follow Ohio Capital Journal Reporter Nick Evans on X or on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Senate passes Johnson drug abuse education bill
Apr. 17—COLUMBUS — The Ohio Senate passed Senate Bill 7, sponsored by Senator Terry Johnson, R-McDermott, which introduces changes to student instruction on harmful effects of substance use. "In order to effectively fight the war on drugs, we need to take an approach that acknowledges our children are the most impressionable people in our society," Johnson said. "As a first step in curbing the upward path of death and destruction, this bill requires proper and appropriate instruction in the harms of, and restrictions against, drugs of abuse. While simple, I believe this policy change begins a much-needed process of targeting drug prevention in a meaningful way—one that can save lives and prevent Ohio's children from a lifetime of drug abuse and suffering. "We will never win the war on drugs with a sole focus on the suppliers—we must do more to decrease demand," he added. "I want to do everything I can to keep the precious little souls of our children from entering the terrible vortex of drug abuse and addiction." Senate Bill 7 requires each public school, and permits each chartered nonpublic school, to annually provide instruction to students in grades K-12 on the harmful effects of short-term or chronic substance use as well as bullying and hazing in its health curriculum. Additionally, the Department of Education and Workforce is instructed to develop a list of evidence-based curricula, materials, programs, and instructional strategies related to the required health curriculum and substance use instruction. An annual survey by the department is also to be conducted on public school compliance with the required health curriculum and substance use instruction. Senate Bill 7 now heads to the Ohio House of Representatives for further consideration.
