Did Gov. Katie Hobbs veto a bill broadly restricting Chinese ownership of Arizona land?

Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a Republican-backed bill that would have sharply limited the ability of Chinese entities to own land in Arizona. In her veto letter, Hobbs argued the measure did not go far enough to protect the state’s military assets and lacked clear implementation criteria. 

Hobbs proposed expanding the bill to bar land ownership by any nation deemed a foreign adversary, strengthen enforcement provisions and close what she considered loopholes in the initial legislation — such as a provision allowing China to own property if it transferred or sold it after three years. 

More than 20 primarily Republican-led states have passed laws restricting foreign land ownership in recent years. Many have targeted agricultural land or land near sensitive sites like military bases or power grids. Currently, a federal Treasury Department committee reviews and regulates foreign acquisitions of U.S. land.