Arizona Governor Vetoes Bill Banning China From Purchasing Land in the State

by: Aldgra Fredly
06/04/2025
Source: The Epoch Times
06/04/2025

Katie Hobbs by Gage Skidmore is licensed under Flickr Creative Commons

Katie Hobbs on June 2 vetoed a bill that would have prohibited the Chinese communist regime and state-owned enterprises from acquiring property in Arizona, according to her office.

Senate Bill 1109, sponsored by Arizona Senate Majority leader Janae Shamp (R-Ariz.), seeks to prevent China from buying or holding a substantial interest—a 30 percent stake or more—in property within Arizona.

The proposed measure was designed to safeguard the state’s “military, commercial and agricultural assets” from the risks of “foreign espionage and sabotage,” which could lead to national security threats, according to the bill.

In a letter announcing her veto of the legislation, Hobbs said the bill was “ineffective at counter-espionage” and did not directly protect military assets in the state from such potential threats.

The governor also stated that the bill “lacks clear implementation criteria” and that it could lead to “arbitrary enforcement,” without elaborating further.

Shamp criticized the governor’s veto as a “politically motivated” move and warned that Arizona’s future would be “in jeopardy” if Hobbs continued on this trajectory, noting that this was not the first time Hobbs had vetoed legislation aimed at enhancing public safety.

Last month, Hobbs, a Democrat, vetoed more than 30 Republican-sponsored bills related to immigration enforcement and school policies. Among them was SB 1088, which would have required state and local governments to fully cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts.