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House passes definition bill extending limits on land acquisition by foreign persons
Summary
HB 358 updates definitions tied to prior legislation limiting certain land acquisitions by foreign persons, clarifying what constitutes a military installation; lawmakers questioned agency capacity to identify agents of foreign governments.
House Bill 358, a definition‑only measure to extend prior restrictions on acquisition of possessory interests in certain lands by foreign persons, passed the Georgia House on March 3, 2025, Representative Smith said when presenting the bill.
Smith said the bill clarifies lines 10–12 of existing law by adding a definition for “military installation,” updating earlier statutory language. The bill was characterized as a clarification of legislation the House passed previously.
Representative Al questioned whether the state had mapped or tabulated how many new facilities would be covered by the expanded definition and whether state agencies have the resources to identify individuals who are agents of foreign governments. Smith said he did not have mapping information available and that he believed state agencies were “probably well equipped” to identify such persons but offered to obtain additional information.
Representative Al said she would vote no, citing concerns about the scope and potential for disparate impacts. The bill moved forward in the rules and passed on the floor; the transcript records passage but does not provide a consistent numeric roll call in the excerpt provided.
