In what appears to be a rare moment of Arizona bipartisanship, Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs has signed into law Senate Bill SB1082, a bill sponsored by Republican Senator Janae Shamp. The bill, which prohibits land ownership by any foreign adversary nation or agent thereof, passed on a split vote. More specifically, the bill prohibits such entities from acquiring ownership of 30% or more of real property within Arizona and empowers the Attorney General to enforce divestment, including the forced sale of the property.
Shamp, who is also a rancher, has long championed state security issues, particularly on issues related to the southern border. But in light of growing Chinese ownership of farmland across the country, especially near US military bases, she sponsored this bill out of an abundance of caution. In a press release dated Wednesday, July 2, 2025, Senator Shamp wrote:
“The United States has been too lax with its policies of allowing foreign adversaries to own property across our great country. This is a direct threat to our national security. As we saw most recently with the Israel-Iran war, enemy agents embedded around sensitive installations, especially military and government locations, can launch attacks during a conflict. We want to minimize that risk in Arizona, especially since we are home to some of the greatest fighter pilots in the world at Luke Air Force Base.”
Shamp concluded, ” I have been working with my colleagues for nearly three years on this bill, and I am grateful for its successful outcome during this legislative session. As elected leaders, we have a responsibility to Arizonans and to our oaths of office, to protect them and the future of our state from all those who might seek to cause harm, and this is a step in the right direction. Protecting our state’s sovereignty is dependent on us implementing measures like SB 1082. It’s time for Arizona to send a message to America’s enemies that our land and property is not for sale – especially around our military bases!”
The newly signed law takes effect in September 2025.