Over the past several years, there has been increased attention paid to the efforts of unfriendly foreign nations and related actors to influence our institutions and gain ownership and access to our critical infrastructure and facilities.

While the federal government maintains the frontline defenses against such foreign efforts through the military and national security apparatus, the Commonwealth has a role to play, particularly when it comes to oversight of institutions and functions that are typically handled at the state level.

Several incidents across the nation have highlighted some areas of concern that the Commonwealth can address. The increase in ownership of domestic farmland by foreign entities raises questions about food security. The hacking of the Aliquippa Municipal Authority shows the need for the Commonwealth to provide cyber security assistance to protect infrastructure. The military deemed the purchase of 370 acres near an Air Force Base in North Dakota by a Chinese firm a security risk.

As of December 31, 2022, more than 400,000 acres of farmland in the Commonwealth is foreign owned, which amounts to 2.3% of the privately held agricultural land.  While this is a relatively low figure in comparison to other states, it is an increase of more than 50,000 acres from the previous year. 

The Agricultural Land Acquisition by Aliens Law (Act 39 of 1980) prohibits aliens who are not residents of the United States and foreign governments from purchasing more than 100 acres of farmland in the Commonwealth.

This legislation would expand that prohibition to apply to foreign principals, meaning government officials of countries of concern (i.e. China, Russia, Belarus, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Syria, and other countries that do not permit Americans to purchase farmland in their country), political parties and members of political parties of countries of concern, business entities organized under the laws of countries of concern, individuals domiciled in a country of concern and not a lawful citizen or permanent resident of the United States, and business entities with a controlling interest owned by foreign principals.

Please consider cosponsoring this important legislation.

Previous cosponsors of HB 1995: Sponsors: SCIALABBA, BONNER, STAMBAUGH, BARTON, SMITH, FEE, PICKETT, KAUFFMAN, STAATS, GILLEN, 
KEEFER, SCHEUREN, MOUL, HAMM, MALONEY, KRUPA, ROAE, HEFFLEY, ZIMMERMAN, JOZWIAK, ROWE, BANTA, SCHMITT, CUTLER, FRITZ, GAYDOS and COOPER
 

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 0121: P.L.102, No.39