House committee considers bill requiring disclosure by entities tied to 'hostile' foreign governments

A House committee on an unnumbered date heard from bill sponsor Representative Oliver on a measure aimed at increasing disclosure of lobbying and political activity tied to nations the bill describes as 'hostile' to U.S. interests.

Representative Oliver, introducing the bill titled in discussion as protecting Alabama from hostile foreign influence, said, "This bill does not prohibit anyone from doing business in Alabama," and described the proposal as a transparency and due‑diligence measure for legislators and state agency personnel. He told members the bill would require organizations and agents with certain connections to China, Iran, Russia or North Korea to register and disclose relevant funding and activities.

The sponsor said the measure would apply to individuals without a U.S. domicile, companies organized under the listed countries’ domiciles, and U.S. entities "significantly under the control" of those foreign adversaries. He described a five‑year lookback for foreign funding and cited a 20 percent ownership threshold as an example of the kind of control the bill would flag. "It requires anyone lobbying or acting as an agent ... to register and disclose such funding and other details," he said. The sponsor also said enforcement would involve the secretary of state and the ethics commission, with "penalties of $10,000 to $200,000 for willful or repeated violations."

During questioning, an unidentified member asked, "Can't you completely give us the definition of a hostile foreign agent?" and pressed whether a lobbyist could work for the named countries and how ownership would be measured. Representative Oliver responded that the bill focuses on transparency and cited ownership and control as the practical points the committee should consider.

Members did not adopt amendments or complete a final vote on the bill. The sponsor said he hoped to carry the measure over; the vice chair called for those in favor of carrying it over and members agreed by voice. The committee recorded that the bill would be carried to a future meeting for additional consideration.

The meeting was adjourned after the vice chair said the committee would likely meet the following week and turned proceedings over to Paula Sher. The committee did not take a recorded roll-call vote on the bill itself during this sitting.