A Republican bill to restrict property ownership in Texas by citizens of China passed the state’s House of Representatives on Friday, gaining new momentum after failing to become law two years ago.
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The Texas House voted to advance the bill, which currently also targets nationals from Iran, North Korea and Russia – countries identified by US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard as national security threats – after adding a provision on Thursday to give the state’s governor broad powers to include more countries.
It now goes back to the Senate, which approved an earlier version in March. If passed by both chambers before the end of the legislative session in June, it would go to the state’s Republican governor, Greg Abbott, who has signalled he would sign it into law.
Proponents of the bill, known as SB17, say it is crucial to protecting Texans from influence by foreign adversaries.
“This is the strongest legislation in the nation to protect our land from hostile foreign intent, keeping Texas property in the hands of those who respect our freedoms and share our values,” Republican state representative Cole Hefner, one of the bill’s primary House sponsors, said in a post on social media on Thursday.
Critics, including many Democratic representatives and Asian-American groups, have denounced the bill as xenophobic and discriminatory.
