Committee reviews bill to bar certain foreign parties — explicitly citing China — from owning West Virginia real estate

The committee considered House Bill 2691, a strike‑and‑insert that would prohibit ownership and transfers of real property and mineral rights in West Virginia by certain foreign parties. The bill specifically names citizens or residents of the People’s Republic of China who are not U.S. citizens or resident aliens, the government of the People’s Republic of China and related entities; it also authorizes state officials to identify additional prohibited foreign parties determined to be hostile to U.S. or West Virginia interests.

Counsel summarized the bill’s core provisions: defined “prohibited foreign party,” required divestiture within six months for any prohibited foreign party holding an interest as of the effective date, and authorized the West Virginia Attorney General to file a civil action if a controlled business acquires real estate in violation of the law. A successful finding by a circuit court would require a judicial sale; the bill also includes a savings clause protecting title from invalidation solely due to a prior violation by a prior owner.

Sponsor Delegate Ridenour said the proposal is intended to give West Virginia state officials authority to determine which foreign entities pose hostile threats to state interests and to limit land and mineral ownership by those parties. He clarified on the record that the measure targets the People’s Republic of China as drafted and that the bill’s text could be amended to explicitly exclude Taiwan if the committee wanted that clarification.

Committee members asked about scope and criteria for designation, and counsel said that although China is the specifically named government in the draft, subsection C could capture entities organized under other foreign laws if significant interest or substantial control is held, directly or indirectly, by the PRC. Senators asked whether the bill applies to doing business (it would not — it addresses ownership of real property) and whether the state or federal government should be the listmaker; counsel and members said the bill gives West Virginia entities authority to make those determinations. Several members suggested clarifying that multiple state officials should concur on a designation to reduce risk of politicized or unilateral removals.

No vote was recorded on HB 2691 during this meeting; the committee recessed before further action.