Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed legislation on June 2 that would have barred the Chinese government and its subsidiaries from owning land in the state. Backed by Republicans, Senate Bill 1109 aimed to prohibit any Chinese government stake of 30% or more in Arizona property.
GOP Sen. Janae Shamp said the bill was intended to safeguard U.S. military installations, citing alleged attempts by Chinese entities to lease buildings near Luke Air Force Base. Critics noted that some reports of Chinese land acquisitions near bases have been misleading.
While a major amendment in May narrowed the bill’s scope to target only the Chinese government, Hobbs argued the bill was “ineffective at counter-espionage” and lacked enforceable guidelines. She also warned it could lead to arbitrary implementation.
The bill passed the House 41–17, with eight Democrats joining Republicans, and passed the Senate on party lines. Similar proposals by Sen. Wendy Rogers in past years failed to advance.
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