Latest news with #SenateBill17
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas moves close to ban on some land sales to foreigners
With just three days left before the deadline, the House has approved the negotiated version of a bill that bans people tied to the governments of China, North Korea, Russia and Iran from purchasing land in the state. The bill awaits Senate approval before going to the governor. Senate Bill 17 has moved forward in Texas despite a federal court ruling that a similar law in Florida was likely beyond the state's authority. It's the second attempt by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, who said in 2023 that the right time to address concerns over foreign entities owning Texas land is before it becomes widespread — something she sees as a way to bolster national security. The latest data available shows that investors from the four countries own a small portion of farmland in Texas and nationally. Chinese investors own about 383,000 total acres of U.S. farmland — about 600 square miles — which is less than 1% of total, foreign-held acreage, according to the United States Department of Agriculture's 2021 land report. On Thursday, the House approved a conference report on the measure after both chambers passed versions of the bill. Last session, although the Senate passed a similar measure, the House failed to take it up. In mid-May, Kolkhorst initiated a process to reconcile differences between the chambers over who should be banned. The select group of lawmakers known as a conference committee worked in private on the conference version that is now up for a vote in the Senate. The conference report preserves the last-minute amendments from the bill passed by the House: giving the governor the authority to add more countries to the list, restricting leaseholders from renting for up to 100 years to just one year, and including language that barred people who were part of a ruling political party from buying land. The conference committee version requires that the person have permission to live in the U.S. legally, but also that the property would serve as a primary residence. Under that version, those in the United States on work or student visas are also barred from buying a controlling interest in land as a business investment. 'The metric by which we decide who can and cannot be buying land here is to help the asylum seeker, but not to allow someone that just happens to be here on a tourist visa or a student visa to buy multiple properties, investment properties and everything else,' Kolkhorst said on the Senate floor in May. Asian Texans for Justice, an advocacy group that opposes the effort, said they see the bill as racist and discriminatory. The group has said the bill revives 'a shameful chapter in American history — when Asian immigrants were banned from owning land.' Lily Trieu, executive director of the group, said that by passing the bill, lawmakers were setting up Texans to have their taxpayer dollars spent on inevitable lawsuits. 'The Florida bill is caught up in the courts. So why would you model a bill after one that's being challenged legally?' she said in an interview. 'Why wouldn't you file a bill that you know is legally sound and constitutional? The conference committee version also lays out specific procedures for the attorney general to investigate, and the process by which land could be reclaimed if someone were found to have violated the law. Texas and Florida are not alone in their attempts to pass such legislation: between January 2023 and July 2024, at least 22 other states initiated similar bills, according to the federal Congressional Research Service. Florida's law, which also includes Cuba, Syria, and Venezuela, was struck down by a U.S. District Court in 2023, but the law remains in effect while the state is appealing it. In a 2023 letter to the court, the U.S. Department of Justice said the law violates the federal Fair Housing Act and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution: 'These unlawful provisions will cause serious harm to people simply because of their national origin, contravene federal civil rights laws, undermine constitutional rights, and will not advance the State's purported goal of increasing public safety,' the Department of Justice wrote. The Texas chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union raised similar concerns. "Discriminating against residents based on their national origin is not only barred by the Constitution's requirements for due process and equal protection, but it also tramples on the United States' prerogatives on foreign relations," said David Donatti, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Texas. Sarah Cruz, a policy and advocacy strategist with the ACLU, said the policy could also lead to racial profiling. 'How is it going to look in practice?,' she said. 'If an individual who just simply looks like they may be from one of those designated countries, does that open them to … some additional scrutiny? The bill is a priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and has received the encouragement of Gov. Greg Abbott. First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
Indianapolis Star
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Indiana spoofed by The Onion over fake pornography 'law.' Some people thought it was real
The Onion, a parody news site known for its satirical headlines, may have caused some Hoosiers to do a double-take Friday after posting the following article: "New Indiana law requires all porn viewers to register as sex offenders." No such law exists, of course. Not in Indiana or elsewhere. The story caught fire over the weekend, leading to thousands of reactions and hundreds of user comments across several social media platforms. Some people admitted they couldn't tell at first if the headline was real or not. Here's what we know about it. Story continues after photo gallery. In a spoof article about Indiana posted last week, writers at The Onion claimed the — and we can't stress this enough — fictitious law will "keep sexual content away from those not yet on the state's list of deviants." The Onion included fake quotes from real-life Republican State Sen. Liz Brown of Fort Wayne, who had a hand in authoring Senate Bill 17, a real law signed by then-Gov. Eric Holcomb last year requiring age verification checks on porn sites. Perhaps that's why The Onion credited Brown as the fake bill's fake co-sponsor, jokingly quoting her as saying Hoosiers who wanted to access adult content online would have to go on record as being "a depraved person in the eyes of the law." People on social media had a mix of reactions. It's not the first time Indiana has been lampooned by The Onion. In October 2024, days before the national presidential election in which Donald Trump won re-election, the parody site posted a story with the following headline: "New Indiana law requires women voters to show husband's ID." Last year, Indiana passed a bill into law mandating porn sites include age verification checks in a bid to prevent children from accessing adult content. Hoosier parents, as well as Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, can sue websites that fail to screen out minors. Several adult-content websites, including a California-based free-speech trade group, have sued Indiana over the law, arguing age-verification checks impinge on Hoosiers' constitutional rights. Among other concerns, the Indiana ACLU has warned the law could pose significant risks to online privacy and safety. Despite a temporary injunction imposed by a federal judge last year, Indiana's age verification law remains in effect while a similar law adopted by Texas awaits a pending decision by the U.S Supreme Court. Story continues after photo gallery. Meanwhile, free speech advocates warn a bill introduced by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, could lead to a nationwide ban on pornography in the United States. The Interstate Obscenity Definition Act (IODA) proposed by Lee would scrap how the federal government currently interprets and defines obscene material and replace it with a more broader definition. Essentially, anything uploaded to the internet containing "nudity, sex, or excretion" that lacks "serious value," according to the bill, could be labeled obscene and therefore illegal. While the bill doesn't explicitly ban pornography outright, according to the Salt Lake Tribune, it makes it easier for prosecutors to lock up and sue anyone who creates, hosts and distributes it. 'Our bill updates the legal definition of obscenity for the internet age so this content can be taken down and its peddlers prosecuted,' Lee said in a prepared statement. In an article posted last week on Mashable, free speech advocates called the bill "a slippery slope," warning it could not only outlaw America's adult entertainment industry, but potentially have far-reaching impacts on what exactly pornography entails. "IODA would allow prosecutors to say, "'It no longer matters if it's offensive to the larger community…if it's offensive to us, we can bring a case,'" Mike Stabile told Mashable, who serves as director of public policy at adult industry trade organization, the Free Speech Coalition. OPINION: Republicans appeal to morality with bill to ban all porn. Will it turn off their base?
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas House passes bill barring Chinese citizens from owning property
[Source] The Texas House of Representatives voted 86-59 on Friday to advance legislation that would bar citizens from China and other nations from purchasing property in the state. Catch up Senate Bill 17, sponsored by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham), specifically targets citizens from countries designated as national security threats — China, Russia, Iran and North Korea — in the U.S. Director of National Intelligence's annual assessment. The House-amended version exempts visa holders, lawful permanent residents and dual citizens from the ban, significantly narrowing the original Senate version. An amendment introduced by Rep. Nate Schatzline (R-Fort Worth) specifically grants Gov. Greg Abbott unilateral power to add other countries and 'transnational criminal organizations' to the restricted list without legislative oversight. Trending on NextShark: Security or xenophobia? Supporters frame the bill as essential for national security. 'We must not allow oppressive regimes who actively seek to do us harm to seize control and dictate their terms over our economy, supply chain and our daily lives,' said Rep. Cole Hefner (R-Mount Pleasant), the bill's House sponsor. Critics, on the other hand, call the measure xenophobic and harmful to immigrants. 'This is a loud and clear message that Asians don't belong in this country,' said Rep. Gene Wu (D-Houston), the chamber's top Democrat and lone Chinese American legislator. 'When the attacks come, when the hate crimes start, it will be against all Asians — anyone with an Asian face.' Trending on NextShark: Hundreds of protesters gathered in Austin on Sunday, carrying signs that read 'stop the hate' and 'housing is a human right.' Organizer Alice Yi, co-founder of Asian Texans for Justice, called the bill 'racist' and stressed, 'This is our country too.' The big picture The legislation reflects mounting political tensions between Washington and Beijing following President Donald Trump's return to office, with similar bans targeting Chinese property ownership emerging in multiple states. Around 5.7 million acres in Texas are foreign-owned, with China reportedly accounting for 3.6% of that land. Leaders of multiple Chinese American organizations are now considering challenging the bill in federal court should it become law, similar to how a comparable Florida law was temporarily halted by a federal appeals court. Trending on NextShark: The bill now returns to the Senate, which must approve House amendments before it goes to Abbott's desk. If signed, the law would take effect on Sept. 1 and apply to property purchases after that date. This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas House passes bill barring Chinese citizens from owning property
[Source] The Texas House of Representatives voted 86-59 on Friday to advance legislation that would bar citizens from China and other nations from purchasing property in the state. Catch up Senate Bill 17, sponsored by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham), specifically targets citizens from countries designated as national security threats — China, Russia, Iran and North Korea — in the U.S. Director of National Intelligence's annual assessment. The House-amended version exempts visa holders, lawful permanent residents and dual citizens from the ban, significantly narrowing the original Senate version. An amendment introduced by Rep. Nate Schatzline (R-Fort Worth) specifically grants Gov. Greg Abbott unilateral power to add other countries and 'transnational criminal organizations' to the restricted list without legislative oversight. Trending on NextShark: Security or xenophobia? Supporters frame the bill as essential for national security. 'We must not allow oppressive regimes who actively seek to do us harm to seize control and dictate their terms over our economy, supply chain and our daily lives,' said Rep. Cole Hefner (R-Mount Pleasant), the bill's House sponsor. Critics, on the other hand, call the measure xenophobic and harmful to immigrants. 'This is a loud and clear message that Asians don't belong in this country,' said Rep. Gene Wu (D-Houston), the chamber's top Democrat and lone Chinese American legislator. 'When the attacks come, when the hate crimes start, it will be against all Asians — anyone with an Asian face.' Trending on NextShark: Hundreds of protesters gathered in Austin on Sunday, carrying signs that read 'stop the hate' and 'housing is a human right.' Organizer Alice Yi, co-founder of Asian Texans for Justice, called the bill 'racist' and stressed, 'This is our country too.' The big picture The legislation reflects mounting political tensions between Washington and Beijing following President Donald Trump's return to office, with similar bans targeting Chinese property ownership emerging in multiple states. Around 5.7 million acres in Texas are foreign-owned, with China reportedly accounting for 3.6% of that land. Leaders of multiple Chinese American organizations are now considering challenging the bill in federal court should it become law, similar to how a comparable Florida law was temporarily halted by a federal appeals court. Trending on NextShark: The bill now returns to the Senate, which must approve House amendments before it goes to Abbott's desk. If signed, the law would take effect on Sept. 1 and apply to property purchases after that date. This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas bill banning residents of China, Iran, North Korea, Russia from owning property isn't law — yet
Texas state Senate Bill 17, which the House passed on May 9, 2025, aims to restrict citizens of certain nations — China, Russia, Iran and North Korea — from owning property in the United States. While the bill's language doesn't explicitly forbid all citizens of those foreign countries from owning property, it does ban foreign citizens "acting as an agent or on behalf of a designated country" from owning property. It doesn't specify what "acting as an agent or on behalf of a designated country" means but gives the state attorney general the responsibility to enforce the law. The law, which would take effect on Sept. 1, 2025, includes exceptions for individuals with U.S. citizenship and for lawful permanent residents. Existing landowners affected by the bill would be able to keep their property but would not be able to purchase or lease additional land. A controversial amendment passed by the House would allow the governor to add or remove nations or "transnational criminal organizations" to/from the list of banned entities. Therefore, exactly who would be affected by the law depends on how the attorney general decides to interpret it — in its most broad interpretation, the bill could act as a total ban for foreign landowners without U.S. citizenship or lawful residency from the designated countries. In May 2025, viral posts appeared on social media claiming Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced he would sign a bill blocking citizens of China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from owning land in the state. The claim was based on Senate Bill 17 (SB17), a state bill aiming to heavily restrict, if not outright ban, certain foreign entities from owning property in the state. Abbott did announce on his social media accounts that he planned to sign it into law. How strict the proposed restriction on foreign citizens of those countries will depend on how it's interpreted. The bill contained exceptions for individuals with U.S. citizenship (dual citizens) or lawful permanent residency status, meaning that under its broadest interpretation, the bill as written could be used to ban most, but not all, citizens of China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from buying land in the state if it went into effect. Additionally, since laws cannot retroactively penalize individuals, landowners from the aforementioned countries would be able to keep their existing landholdings but would not be allowed to buy more. In July 2024, Snopes published an article fact-checking a claim that Chinese investors were buying farmland near United States military bases, including in Texas. (We found the claim was quite misleading.) Part of that story involved a Chinese billionaire, Sun Guangxin, attempting to build a wind farm on over 100,000 acres of land in Val Verde County, Texas. The wind farm never happened, in part because of Texas lawmakers. In response to Sun's planned wind farm, the Texas legislature passed the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act (LSIPA), which banned businesses owned or controlled by individuals from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from operating "critical infrastructure," including the electric grid. SB17, which passed the Texas House on May 9, could be viewed as an extension of that agenda. As originally written (amendments will be discussed below), SB17 aimed to restrict land purchases by different individuals and groups associated with "designated countries," which the bill defined as follows: "Designated country" means a country identified by the United States Director of National Intelligence as a country that poses a risk to the national security of the United States in at least one of the three most recent Annual Threat Assessments of the U.S. Intelligence Community issued pursuant to Section 108B, National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. Section 3043b). That list currently consists of China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, the four countries named in the claim we're fact-checking. Under a proposed change, the following individuals or organizations would be banned from outright owning land in the state: (The original wording featured an exception that would allow the organizations to lease land for "less than 100 years.") (1) a governmental entity of a designated country;(2) a company, nongovernmental organization, or other entity that is: (A) headquartered in a designated country; (B) directly or indirectly held or controlled by the government of a designated country; or (C) owned by or the majority of stock or other ownership interest of which is held or controlled by individuals described by Subdivision (4); (3) a company or other entity that is owned by or the majority of stock or other ownership interest of which is held or controlled by a company or entity described by Subdivision (2); or(4) an individual who: (A) is a citizen of a designated country and: (i) is domiciled outside of the United States; or (ii) unlawfully entered the United States at a location other than a lawful port of entry; or (B) is: (i) a citizen of a country other than the United States; and (ii) acting as an agent or on behalf of a designated country. That last clause — "acting as an agent or on behalf of a designated country" — is where the complication lies, since the bill doesn't define what activities fall under that classification. It gives the state attorney general the power to enforce the law, meaning whatever that person says, goes. As long as the individual in question is either a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident of the United States (meaning holds a green card), that person would not be at risk, as the bill does contain an exception specifically for those individuals. But for anyone else hoping to buy property in the state, if the AG decides that just being a citizen of a foreign nation makes you an "agent" of that foreign nation, that's an issue — the interpretation may be dubious, but you'd have to prove that in court. That was not the final version of the bill, however, as legislators added and approved several amendments that changed things about it, including who the law would apply to. Two separate amendments heavily tightened the 100-year limit on property leases, first to two years, then to one year. Another amendment added members "of the ruling political party or any subdivision of the ruling political party in a designated country" to the list of people banned from owning land. A fourth made it such that a citizen of a designated country who lived outside the United States had to be "lawfully present and residing in the United States at the time the individual purchases, acquires, or holds the interest," in order to buy property. Finally, and perhaps most controversially, an amendment passed that would allow the Texas governor to add or remove "a country or a transnational criminal organization" to/from the banned list after consulting with Texas' public safety director and the Homeland Security Council. The bill, which would go into effect on Sept. 1, 2025, isn't law just yet (as of the time of this writing) — it, and all of its amendments, have to pass through the state Senate before landing on Abbott's desk to sign. The state Senate, like the state House, is controlled by Republicans. In May, Abbott announced on his X account that he would "soon sign the toughest ban in the U.S." on land ownership by "people from hostile foreign nations." Izzo, Jack. "Chinese Investors Are Buying Farmland Around US Military Bases?" Snopes, 23 July 2024, Kamal, By Sameea. "Texas House Advances Bill That Would Prohibit Land Sales to People and Entities from Certain Countries." The Texas Tribune, 9 May 2025, "Texas and Federal Government Seek to Protect U.S. Infrastructure From Disruption by Foreign Adversaries." Jackson Walker, Accessed 14 May 2025. Yu, Issac. "Texas House Passes Bill Banning Chinese Citizens from Buying State Land." Houston Chronicle, 9 May 2025,
