Kansas Democratic governor vetoes bill limiting foreign national land ownership

Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a bill passed by the state's Republican-led legislature on Friday, which would have banned foreign nationals from certain countries from owning more than 10% of non-residential property within 100 miles of a military installation.

The bill, which targets foreign nationals from China, North Korea, Cuba, Iraq, and Venezuela among others, comes after a Chinese balloon floated across the United States last year before it was shot down, including over military installations in Kansas, such as Fort Leavenworth where the U.S. trains military leaders at the Army College.

Kelly admitted that the state needs more security against foreign adversaries, but said the bill was so broad that it could impact  “legitimate investment and business relationships," according to the Associated Press. 

“I am not willing to sign a bill that has the potential to hurt the state’s future prosperity and economic development,” Kelly said in her veto message. 

The state exported more than $14 billion worth of products in 2023 alone. The state's top three trading partners were the United States allies of Mexico, Canada, and Japan, but China was the fourth with $848 million in exported goods.

Other critics of the bill blasted it as xenophobic, and claims it negatively impacts "those who are just trying to live the American dream." Partly due to this backlash, it does not appear the bill has enough support in the state Senate to override the veto.

Republican leaders in the state House have claimed they will continue working to get the bill, or similar ones, passed. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach supports an even stronger bill, that would ban all foreign ownership of more than three acres of land unless otherwise approved by a state board.

“Foreign adversaries, such as China, have made their intentions toward the U.S. and our democracy abundantly clear. It’s shameful that our governor has chosen not to take those threats seriously, leaving Kansas’ critical infrastructure and military installments exposed,” House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said, according to the Kansas Reflector. “Despite the governor’s apathy, we’ll continue to work to protect Kansas and its citizens from those foreign bad actors who wish to exploit land ownership loopholes.”

The state already limits foreign corporate ownership of agricultural land, along with more than 20 other states that limit foreign land ownership, according to the National Agricultural Law Center.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.