Current location:sport >>
Georgia may limit farm purchases by China 'agent'
sport8446People have gathered around
IntroductionThe Georgia House of Representatives has passed and sent to the state Senate a bill that would ban a ...
The Georgia House of Representatives has passed and sent to the state Senate a bill that would ban any "agent" of China from buying farmland or land near military sites.
The House bill — SB420, passed on March 20 — is different from the one passed previously in the Georgia Senate.
The Senate bill would have expanded the ban to all foreign nationals who are not legal U.S. residents, to China and four other countries.
SB420 is similar to legislation attempted or passed in a few other states that aim to limit land ownership by citizens from China and several other countries.
The vote in the Georgia House was 97-67 along party lines, with most Republican members voting for it and most Democratic members against it.
Even though the bill bans "agent of a foreign government designated as a foreign adversary by the United States secretary of commerce", the house debate prior to the vote was primarily directed at China. By its definition, the foreign adversaries currently include China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Russia.
"An agent" is defined as a person who acts on behalf of the foreign government or a business domiciled in the country. The ban doesn't apply to residential property.
Democratic Representative Michelle Au questioned how to determine if someone is an agent of an adversarial government and accused the bill of being racist.
"Who's doing that investigation? What would trigger that suspicion? And would that be applied equally to everyone looking to buy or lease property?" Au asked. "These bills aim to weaponize racism, xenophobia, and anti-immigrant sentiment while wrapping itself in the cloak of national security and patriotism."
Representative Sam Park also questioned the logic of the bill. "I remain equally perplexed in that multiple Republican legislators have stated that this bill is focused on Chinese nationals while at the same time China remains one of the top trading partners for Georgia's agricultural exports that exceeded $5 .8 billion in 2023," he said.
"If you all really believe all the rhetoric that China is coming after America, would it not make sense for the state of Georgia to divest entirely and stop all trade with China? Or is that a step too far because it hurts your bottom line?" Park continued.
"Passage of this bill will cast a shadow of suspicion on any Asian or Hispanic-looking person who may want to purchase agricultural land or land near a military installation even if that person may be serving in our armed forces," he said.
Similar land laws passed last year in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and Arkansas. The Florida land law was challenged in court, and the case is now before the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
While the court is scheduled to hear the argument in April, it has also temporarily blocked its enforcement on the grounds that it might be preempted by federal law.
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Global Gazetteer news portal”。http://panama.downmusic.org/content-35c799905.html
Related articles
Britain's new bonkers EV: Callum Skye is an £80k electric buggy built in Warwickshire
sportBritain has a new sports car. But it's not like anything else you've seen on the road before.Callum, ...
【sport】
Read moreThe Bo Nix era begins in Denver, and the Broncos also drafted his top target at Oregon
sportENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — For the first time in his 17 seasons as a coach, Sean Payton has a rookie qu ...
【sport】
Read moreMaya Moore and Seimone Augustus headline Women's Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony
sportKNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Maya Moore and Seimone Augustus gave the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame ind ...
【sport】
Read more
Popular articles
- Not so Cool Britannia! Noel Gallagher gives damning verdict on Keir Starmer
- Keir Starmer vows to protect pensions triple lock if Labour is victorious at the next election
- Wang Xinyu saves 10 match points in Madrid thriller
- Musa, Ibeagha score in second half to lead Dallas over Dynamo 2
- Dodgers acquire pitcher Yohan Ramírez from Mets for cash
- 'Hideous' newbuild house with a 'kitchen floor' outside is slammed for crucial design flaw
Latest articles
Four people killed in a house explosion in southwestern Missouri
Brendan Steele wins LIV Golf Adelaide tournament from fast
George Kirby strikes out a career
After officer warns campaigner for being 'openly Jewish'... Met Police are so cowed by the anti
The government wants to buy their flood
Bellingham and Mendy to miss Real Sociedad clash
LINKS
- Teresa Palmer dazzles in rhinestones and a plunging top in behind
- Hairy Biker Dave Myers 'left £1.4million windfall for his wife Liliana'
- Kaley Cuoco poses up with her steamy Based On A True Story leading man Tom Bateman at star
- Eva Mendes, 50, displays her gorgeous complexion in stunning selfies
- Naomie Harris turns heads in an eye
- Biden tries to navigate the Israel
- Homeowners share their incredible DIY renovations
- Eva Mendes, 50, displays her gorgeous complexion in stunning selfies
- Naomie Harris turns heads in an eye
- Suns guard Grayson Allen aggravates ankle injury vs. Timberwolves. Phoenix falls into 0