Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a bill on Wednesday that is intended to protect land from purchase by hostile nations.
House Bill 379 is known as the the Alabama Property Protection Act and was sponsored by Rep. Scott Stadthagen, R-Hartselle. The new law bans the sale of agricultural and forest land; and "critical infrastructure" such as chemical plants, electricity generation plants, airports or water treatment facilities to China, Iran, North Korea and Russia.
The new law also prohibits sale to any foreign entity agricultural and forest property and any real estate within 10 miles of a military base or "critical infrastructure."
Alabama is not the only state considering a measure that would cap foreign purchase of farm land. The Louisiana Legislature is considering a bill that deals solely with farmland, while Mississippi's similar legislation was watered down to a study committee in March before Gov. Tate Reeves signed it into law.