Rules committee releases conference report on Senate Bill 256 after clarifying land-purchase limits for foreign nationals

A presenter outlined changes made in the conference committee report for Senate Bill 256, saying stakeholders received clarifying language that changed a prior land ban to allow some land purchases. Representative Pierce asked whether the bill would allow a foreign national employed by a university to buy property; the presenter said the conference committee’s language would permit such purchases so long as the parcel is not larger than one-half acre.

“As long as it is not larger than a half an acre, the original language ... would not have allowed an individual after July 1 to purchase a home. So this land this language that was clarified in conference committee will allow for that,” the presenter said, describing the conference changes on property size and grandfathering for current owners.

The presenter added that current owners would be grandfathered and that there is not an automatic divestiture provision; if someone were deemed a foreign agent an investigative process would apply. A motion to provide the conference committee report for Senate Bill 256 for member distribution and to hold it for one hour was approved on a roll call (6–3), and the committee recessed thereafter.