Senate Bill S8490

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8490

SPONSOR: O'MARA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the real property law, in relation to prohibiting the
sale or lease of any property in the state by the People's Republic of
China or the Chinese communist party

 
PURPOSE:

To protect New York's food supply, farmland, businesses, and housing
market from foreign influence and control by prohibiting the Chinese
government, the Chinese Communist Party, and affiliated entities from
owning, leasing, or controlling any property in New York State.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Adds a new Article 17 to the Real Property Law, creating

Section 530, which prohibits any person or entity from leasing, selling,
offering to sell, conveying, or transferring any interest in real prop-
              

erty in New York State to:

*The People's Republic of China,

*The Chinese Communist Party, or

*Any affiliated entities.

This section also grants enforcement authority to the New York State
Attorney General, including the power to seek injunctive or declaratory
relief in the Supreme Court of the State of New York.

Section 2: Establishes the effective date of the legislation as the
thirtieth days after becoming law.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Foreign ownership of American land and property, particularly by an
adversarial regime like the Chinese Communist Party, poses significant
national and state security risks. In recent years, entities affiliated
with the Chinese government have increasingly sought to purchase farm-
land and property near sensitive infrastructure and supply chains. These
acquisitions threaten not only our food independence but also the integ-
rity of our markets and the privacy of our citizens.

New York State is home to a number of strategically important military
installations, including Fort Drum, Fort Hamilton, West Point, Waterv-
liet Arsenal, Camp Smith, Stewart Air National Guard Base, Stratton Air
National Guard Base, Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base,
Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, Niagara Falls Air Reserve
Station, and the Naval Support Activity Saratoga Springs. The proximity
of potential foreign-owned land to these military complexes raises seri-
ous concerns about espionage, surveillance, and other forms of foreign
interference.

New York State has a duty to ensure that strategic resources like mili-
tary bases, farmland, businesses, and residential housing are protected
from foreign control. This legislation closes a dangerous loophole and
aligns New York with growing bipartisan efforts across the country to
safeguard land from foreign adversaries. The bill prioritizes the rights
of New York families, farmers, and communities over the interests of
hostile foreign governments.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the State.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it has become law.