AUSTIN – Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued this statement today following the bipartisan passage of Senate Bill 17 on second reading (final passage to come later), Stopping Foreign Adversaries’ Land Grabs, by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham:

“It is common sense and good state policy to prohibit our foreign adversaries from purchasing Texas land. Preventing private property from being sold to entities from adversarial nations is a basic tenet of national security. Many Texans have been increasingly concerned by this growing practice over the last few years. The Texas Senate passed this bill last session, but it died in the Texas House. I am optimistic that with the leadership of our new speaker, Dustin Burrows, SB 17 will finally pass the House and become law. I thank Sen. Kolkhorst for her continued leadership on this essential state and national security issue.”

Senate Bill 17, by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, prohibits the purchase of Texas real property by citizens of hostile foreign nations (as determined by the annual threat assessments of the U.S. Intelligence Community), including agricultural land, commercial or industrial property, water rights, and residential property.