U.S. District Court Judge Michael Watson issued an injunction on August 31 against a provision of Ohio House Bill 1 (HB 1) that would have prohibited lawful permanent residents, but who are non-citizens, from contributing to ballot measure campaigns.
Watson said that while Ohio has a compelling interest in preventing foreign influence over state political processes, restricting speech around ballot initiatives does not achieve that interest. Watson wrote, “Lawfully resident foreign nationals also generally enjoy First Amendment rights … [and] it also protects U.S. citizens’ right to hear those foreign nationals’ political speech.”
