Ohio House members introduce bill to protect people flying ‘thin blue line’ flag

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Members of the Ohio House of Representatives introduced a bill that would make it illegal for landlords and homeowner associations (HOAs) to stop tenants from flying the “thin blue line” flag, a controversial pro-police symbol.

Key Players

State Rep. Timothy E. Ginter (R), representing the House’s 5th District, encompassing Salem, a city about 20 miles southwest of Youngstown, co-sponsored the bill. In 2017, he introduced a nearly identical bill. It overwhelmingly passed the House 90-2 but died in the Ohio Senate Local Government, Public Safety, and Veterans Affairs Committee.  

State Rep. Kevin D. Miller (R), representing the 72nd District, encompassing Newark, a city about 40 miles east of Columbus, co-sponsored the bill. Miller served on the Ohio State Highway Patrol for over 20 years before becoming a state lawmaker. 

Further Details

The phrase “Thin Blue Line” dates back to 1854, and was used in the context of law enforcement as early as 1922. The term became more popular in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Over the past few years, the flag has come to stand for support of U.S. police departments, including those that have been scrutinized for their treatment of Black people.

Many landlords and HOAs do not allow tenants to display “political” flags, with the exception of the American flag, state flags, veteran service flags, and flags honoring American prisoners of war. 

On Aug. 17, 2022, Ginter and Miller introduced House Bill 712. If passed, it would prohibit manufactured home park operators, condominium associations, neighborhood associations, and landlords from restricting the display of the thin blue line flag. 

“With rising crime nationwide, now more than ever we need to commend the efforts and bravery of our law enforcement officers, and displaying this flag is not something groups should be prohibiting,” Miller said.

“I introduced this same measure during the 132nd General Assembly, and I believe we should continue showing our support for the courage and sacrifice of our law enforcement officers,” Ginter said.

Miller introduced the bill after an HOA attempted to stop Tom DiSario from flying the flag. DiSario is the father of former Kirkersville Police Chief Eric DiSario, who was killed while responding to a shooting in 2017. Tom DiSario received a letter from his HOA that his “political sign in the form of a flag” violated neighborhood deed restrictions.

“To be honest, when I saw the letter that people are fighting me over something very valuable to me and personal, I broke down and cried,” DiSario told The Columbus Dispatch. “That’s how much it meant to me.”

The U.S. Supreme Court has traditionally sided with HOAs’ efforts to limit certain flags or decorations. 

In May 2022, the court unanimously ruled that Boston violated a man’s First Amendment rights after it refused to fly his Christian flag as part of its flag-display program outside City Hall.

Outcome

Bill draws mixed response

Ohioans had mixed reactions to the bill.

“I pray this passes,” John Tamburello, a Republican voter from Middleburg Heights, said. “Stop this dictatorship.”

Tamburello said past landlords, HOAs, and neighbors had tried to take down his thin blue line flag, as well as flags related to former President Donald Trump.

“If you own your property, what you put in your yard, or on your house, or whatever signs you want, whether it be the American flag, the rainbow flag — you can’t tell me what I can and can’t put in my home,” Tamburello said. 

Richard Bias, a Cleveland landlord, told News 5 Cleveland that he personally would allow tenants to fly the flag, but understood why some landlords might oppose it. 

“If you are trying to regulate one flag, that’s potentially infringing on freedom of speech,” Bias said, adding he did not want signage saying “blank you, neighbor” on his properties. 

The bill died in 2022, but Miller reintroduced it in March 2023. At the time, Florida’s legislature was considering a similar proposal.