H.B. No. 243 proposes the addition of Chapter 21A to the Property Code, which grants the Texas Attorney General the authority to acquire certain real property owned by aliens or foreign entities through eminent domain. The chapter defines key terms such as "alien," "foreign," and "critical infrastructure," and outlines the conditions under which the Attorney General can initiate eminent domain proceedings. Specifically, the Attorney General may act if there is reason to believe that the property is being used in violation of state or federal law or poses a risk to the state's critical infrastructure. The bill stipulates that any legal action must be brought in the district court of the county where the property is located, and if the court finds in favor of the Attorney General, it will allow for the initiation of eminent domain proceedings.
Additionally, the bill specifies that any real property acquired through this process will be owned by the state and managed by the General Land Office. It also clarifies that the procedures for eminent domain proceedings under Chapter 21 will apply, while certain other regulations in Chapter 2206 of the Government Code and Subchapter E of Chapter 21 will not apply to these proceedings. The Attorney General is required to adopt rules for implementing this new chapter as soon as practicable after the bill's effective date, which is set for September 1, 2025.
Statutes affected: Introduced: ()