Missouri committee hears bill to limit foreign ownership of state land

Representative Bill Irwin, District 55, introduced House Bill 993 on the foreign ownership of land, saying the measure would prevent “enemies of The United States Of America” from owning land in Missouri and reduce the share of state land that U.S. allies may hold from 1 percent to 0.5 percent.

The bill would add divestiture authority for the Missouri attorney general and, according to testimony, tie state land reviews to federal sanctions screening such as the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Backers told the committee the change is aimed at national-security risks and to protect military bases and critical infrastructure in Missouri.

Why it matters: Proponents cast HB 993 as a national-security and infrastructure-protection tool that would restrict land ownership by countries and entities the federal government identifies as adversaries. Opponents and some members pressed the sponsor on how the bill would…