House State Affairs advances RS 32150C2 requiring foreign-adversary land ownership to be registered and divested near military ranges

Representative Ted Hill (R., District 14) told the House State Affairs Committee that RS 32150C2 would require foreign adversaries who own agricultural land, mining claims or mineral rights in Idaho to register that ownership within 60 days of the bill's effective date and to divest those interests within 180 days, with the Attorney General authorized to foreclose through district court if owners do not comply.

Hill said the measure would build on prior state law and federal review mechanisms. "Current law passed in the last 2 sessions protects Americans, Idaho's agricultural land, forest land, mining and water rights by prohibiting foreign governments and foreign adversaries from purchasing any of these lands or resources. This legislation will take 1 step further ... must register this ownership within 60 days and sell within 180 days of enactment of this legislation," Hill said.

Hill told the committee the bill also would restrict the lease or purchase of land or dwellings near specified military training ranges to keep areas used for high-level training and testing "sanitized." He said the bill references federal lists of foreign adversaries in the Code of Federal Regulations and that the Attorney General has reviewed the language and is "comfortable with the language." Hill cited past state action in other states that removed land from foreign-controlled entities as precedent and named Syngenta as an example raised during debate.

Members asked detailed questions about how the bill would operate in practice. Representative Stephanie Mickelson asked whether a company that sold land to a U.S. farmer but continued to run seed trials on the parcel would be exempt; Hill said such arrangements could be used as a "backdoor" but that the statute focuses on ownership and registration. On concerns about enforcement and private parties acting as surrogates, Hill said the bill ties the definition of "foreign adversary" to current federal guidance in Title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations and cited specific regulatory citations included in the draft.

Committee members raised concerns about a proposed whistleblower provision that Hill described as a tool to surface suspected surrogates or concealed ownership. Representative Schubin asked whether a whistleblower bounty could encourage harassment of legitimate businesses; Hill responded the provision targets "specifics" and that frivolous claims would not be successful before the Attorney General. Representative Barbieri commented that the definition of a "qualifying whistleblower" could raise litigation questions that the committee should clarify before a judicial challenge.

Representative Holtzclaw moved to introduce RS 32150C2. The committee approved the motion by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript and the motion was announced as carried.

The measure as presented would: require registration within 60 days and divestiture within 180 days for covered foreign-adversary holdings; allow the Attorney General to seek foreclosure through district court for noncompliance; define foreign adversaries by reference to federal criteria in Title 15 CFR; and restrict purchase or lease near designated military training ranges. The draft cites specific regulatory numbers and a list dated 01/01/2025 to identify covered adversary countries, and Hill told the committee the list will be updated as federal guidance changes.

The committee did not take a final vote on the bill's merits; it approved introduction so the sponsor may pursue further drafting and hearings.