Texas Pushes Back Against Foreign Land Grab With 'strongest Bill In The Nation' Against China, Iran, Russia

Texas lawmakers are charging up pinch what they telephone nan nation’s strongest legislative effort yet to artifact dispute overseas powers from purchasing onshore successful nan Lone Star State. 

Championed by Republican authorities Rep. Cole Hefner and authorities Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, Senate Bill 17 (SB17) is designed to extremity governments and entities tied to countries for illustration China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from gaining a foothold connected Texas soil.

In an exclusive question and reply pinch Fox News Digital, Hefner described SB17 arsenic "model legislation" aimed astatine shutting down onshore purchases that airs a nationalist information threat. 

"This measure is astir actions and affiliations, not race, not nationality," Hefner said. "If you’re acting connected behalf of a dispute overseas adversary, we’re going to return that onshore back."

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Texas authorities Rep. Cole Hefner, center, speaks to chap authorities representatives successful nan House enclosure astatine nan State Capitol successful Austin. (Tamir Kalifa/Getty Images)

The measure is successful nonstop consequence to real-world events. 

Hefner cited nan 2021 lawsuit of a retired Chinese wide acquiring complete 140,000 acres adjacent Laughlin Air Force Base. 

"We've [also] seen nan effort of overseas actors aliases dispute overseas adversaries to bargain onshore adjacent to nutrient processing plants," Hefner said. "And it's conscionable thing that we person recovered nan much we excavation into it, nan much we find that there's a batch of things we don't cognize and a batch of vulnerabilities that are retired there."

The measure prohibits entities and individuals affiliated pinch governments designated arsenic nationalist information threats, based connected nan U.S. Director of National Intelligence’s yearly assessments, from purchasing existent estate if those purchases airs risks to nationalist wellness aliases safety. 

The rule empowers nan state's lawyer wide to investigate, artifact and moreover reverse specified onshore deals done court-ordered receivership.

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Pump jacks statement a section successful Luling, Texas. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

Under SB17, "real property" includes agricultural, commercial, industrial, and residential onshore arsenic good arsenic mines, minerals, and timber. The rule includes cardinal exemptions for U.S. citizens, lawful imperishable residents, and spot intended arsenic a individual homestead.

"The beardown points of our measure is that it tin use to anyone if we tin beryllium they're acting arsenic an agent," said Hefner. "So moreover if they're from a friends country, but they're really connected behalf of a overseas adversary, past they will beryllium taxable to nan bill."

The measure gives nan lawyer wide investigative powers, and authority to name receivers to negociate aliases waste properties acquired successful usurpation of nan law.

Hefner pushed backmost difficult connected critics who declare nan measure is xenophobic. "This has thing to do pinch tegument colour aliases ethnicity," he said. "It’s astir protecting Texans and Americans from overseas espionage and influence."

The Texas State Capitol successful Austin. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

He besides stressed that SB17 should not beryllium seen arsenic a partisan move. "It shouldn't beryllium a partisan issue. This is astir nationalist security. This is astir keeping our citizens safe," said Hefner. "It's not astir Republican aliases Democrat, it's not wide aliases conservative. It is conscionable taking attraction of our people. 

"And I judge that's the, you know, nan number 1 work of nan authorities is to make judge that group tin unrecorded free and safe successful their state."

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SB17 is group to return effect Sept. 1. Hefner said he hopes nan authorities sparks a nationwide effort.