Tag: SB 147

Louisiana State House Passes Ban on Foreign Land Purchase, Texas State Bill Unlikely to Continue

Representative Gene Wu speaks on the State House floor on May 15, 2023.

Posted By Jenn

Over the past week, we’ve been covering the efforts in the Texas and Louisiana state legislatures to pass restrictive bills banning the purchase or rental of land to Chinese nationals, and citizens of five other “foreign adversary” countries. Those bills have been widely criticized as discriminatory, and have triggered grassroots protests from Chinese Americans in both states. A similar bill was recently signed into law in Florida and is being challenged in court.

Despite the backlash, a heavily-amended version of Louisiana’s House Bill 537 was passed yesterday in a 78 – 22 vote. It will now move to the State Senate where a similar proposal – SB 91 – is scheduled for a floor vote today.

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Louisiana State Bills Would Ban Some Foreign Nationals From Buying or Renting Property

Louisiana State Capitol Building (Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Posted By Jenn

Earlier this month, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a bill that prevents Chinese foreign nationals – as well as nationals from Russia, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, and North Korea – from buying or owning land within a 10-mile radius of a military installation. During debate on the bill (SB 624), it was widely criticized as racist by Chinese American civil rights groups. Despite this opposition, the bill passed by wide margins in both the Florida Senate and House.

In a statement released after Governor DeSantis approved the new Florida state law, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus chair Representative Judy Chu (CA-28) called it “the latest state-level effort to restrict the property ownership of Chinese home seekers, who are aspiring small business owners, students, and families seeking to build better lives for themselves here in America.”

Florida is not alone in limiting foreign national ownership of land. Several states already restrict foreign nationals from owning agricultural farmland. But Florida’s bill is unique because it limits ownership of any type of land – not just farmland – within the restricted area. SB 624’s passage in Florida may embolden similar efforts in other states. Indeed, Texas is currently considering a bill (SB 147) similar to the one recently signed in Florida.

In Louisiana, state lawmakers have gone a step further.

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