COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A bipartisan bill in the Ohio Statehouse would ban homeowners associations and landlords from prohibiting thin blue line flags.

House Bill 75, sponsored by Reps. Kevin Miller (R-Newark) and Sean Brennan (D-Parma), would bar HOAs, condominium associations, mobile home parks and landlords from disallowing residents to display the thin blue line flag. Introduced in February, the bill was named the Chief Steven DiSario Act, in honor of a law enforcement officer who died in the line of duty. 

“I believe this bill is important for many reasons, including the fact that our law enforcement community doesn’t always get the respect that they deserve, especially in light of the danger they face daily on our behalf,” Brennan said. 

The thin blue line flag is a black and white American flag with a blue horizontal stripe, displayed to show support for law enforcement. The bill would protect displaying the flag on a flag pole, through the use of a bracket or in a window. 

“By showing our respect for law enforcement, we can collectively send a message that law enforcement officers are respected members of our community, which could help with attracting and retaining the best and the brightest into the profession,” Brennan said. 

Ohio law already protects the flying of multiple flags, including the American flag, the State of Ohio flag, the POW/MIA (Prisoners of War/Missing in Action) flag and other military flags.

Steven DiSario, 36, was working with the Kirkersville Police Department when he was killed in 2017. He was fatally shot while responding to reports of an armed man outside of a nursing home.

Miller said he was inspired to introduce a bill after he was contacted by Steven DiSario’s dad, Tom DiSario, a few years ago. Tom DiSario told the lawmaker his HOA demanded he take down a thin blue line flag he was given at his son’s funeral, according to Miller.

“The association deemed the display of the flag as a ‘political statement’ which was prohibited by the by-laws and was therefore required to be removed,” Miller said in written testimony. “Mr. DiSario will tell you it represents the legacy of his son, and the ultimate sacrifice that he made while serving his community. It means the world to him.”

Miller introduced a similar bill under the same name in 2023. It passed the House, but did not make it across the finish line. He additionally sponsored another bill featuring the same concept in 2022, which also passed the House but did not make it to the governor’s desk. 

The bill introduced in 2023 received opponent testimony from multiple residents, including representatives of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

“Many in the Black community see this flag and it incites fear, anger and vitriol,” Kayla Griffin with the NAACP said in written testimony. “What flags are flown by tenets are private contract matters and should remain as such.”

Multiple individuals who spoke out against the bill noted it protects one type of flag, while not addressing others such as LGBTQ+ pride and Black Lives Matter flags. Both Brennan and Miller told NBC4 they see the thin blue line flag as an extension of military flags that are already protected under the law, differentiating it from other flags. 

“This is about the men and women who serve our community each and every day,” Miller said. “I think it’s similar to what we already have protected and codified in law, so we’re just adding this flag. For those who wish to introduce legislation for other flags, that’s certainly up to them.”

This year, state representatives have also introduced a bill that is looking to crack down on HOA rules, by banning the associations from prohibiting political yard signs. Brennan is a cosponsor of that bill as well.

HB 75 was assigned to the Government Oversight Committee. It has had one introductory hearing and awaits opponent and proponent testimony. The bill has one Democrat and 10 Republican cosponsors.