The bill SB1004 aims to restrict the purchase, acquisition, or control of agricultural land or land used for harvesting natural resources in Arizona by certain foreign entities. It specifically prohibits agents of designated countries, companies with majority control by citizens of designated countries, and individuals who are citizens or have operations headquartered in designated countries from having any interest in such lands. The term "designated country" refers to those identified by the U.S. Director of National Intelligence as posing a risk to U.S. national security in the three most recent Annual Threat Assessments.
The bill exempts lawful permanent residents of the United States from this prohibition. It assigns the enforcement of these provisions to the Attorney General, who can take legal action if a violation is suspected. If a court finds a violation, it will order the divestment of the person's interest and direct the sale of the land, with remaining balances after expenses to be deposited into the state's general fund. The bill also defines "agricultural lands," "control," and "designated country" for clarity. Additionally, knowingly violating this section is classified as a class 6 felony. The Department of Law is tasked with adopting rules to implement this section.
Statutes affected: Introduced Version: 3-102, 3-3601