Conference committee reviews Kansas Land and Military Installation Protection Act; debates drone procurement date, foreign-ownership definitions

A conference committee of the Kansas Legislature on a House substitute for Senate Bill 9 reviewed provisions that would bar most foreign principals from acquiring interests in real property within 100 miles of military installations and would limit governmental purchases of drones and drone components produced in "countries of concern."

The legislative reviser told the committee, "The bill would establish the Kansas Land and Military Installation Protection Act to prohibit foreign principals from acquiring interests in real property within 100 miles of military installations, except for de minimis interests." The reviser also described registration and enforcement steps, saying foreign principals "would be required to register any such interest with the attorney general within 90 days of acquisition," and that the attorney general would be empowered to investigate violations and seek divestiture in court.

The bill would explicitly exempt residential real property, which the reviser said is defined as property "used exclusively as a place of residence for human habitation." It would also require the Secretary of State to notify business entities and nonprofit organizations of the registration requirement, require Kansas State University to report annually on foreign land holdings in the state, and authorize the Fusion Center Oversight Board to adopt rules regarding foreign terrorist organization designations.

Why it matters: The measure…