SEEING RED: Arizona gov. slammed for vetoing bill that could have major impact on China

Conservative groups accused Hobbs of leaving Arizona vulnerable to foreign threats.

PUBLISHED 1 DAY AGO

Governor Hobbs defended her veto by labeling the bill ineffective at countering espionage.

Phoenix, Arizona: Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has drawn criticism after vetoing Senate Bill 1109, which aimed to ban the Chinese government and its affiliates from owning 30% or more of any property in Arizona, particularly near strategic assets like military bases and critical infrastructure.

Proponents, including Republican Senate Majority Leader Janae Shamp, argued the bill was necessary to prevent potential espionage and safeguard national security, citing recent attempts by Chinese entities to lease property near Luke Air Force Base.

Conservative groups and some lawmakers accused Hobbs of leaving Arizona vulnerable to foreign threats, while others pointed to similar legislative efforts in more than 20 states.

Governor Hobbs defended her veto by labeling the bill ineffective at countering espionage and lacking clear enforcement criteria, which she argued could lead to arbitrary and potentially discriminatory application. The bill had already been narrowed through bipartisan amendments to focus solely on Chinese government-linked entities, rather than individuals or other foreign nationals. Critics of the legislation, including some Democratic lawmakers, warned that it risked discrimination and might not withstand constitutional scrutiny.

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Despite the veto, federal oversight remains in place. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) reviews and can block foreign land purchases near sensitive military sites, and recent federal rules have expanded these protections. Nationally, at least 22 states have enacted laws restricting foreign ownership of land, with a focus on adversarial nations like China.

Concerns over Chinese land purchases are widespread, but the actual footprint is small. As of 2021, Chinese entities owned roughly 384,000 acres of U.S. agricultural land—less than 1% of all foreign-held agricultural land and just 0.03% of all privately held U.S. agricultural land.