In a significant legislative move, Arizona’s Democratic Governor, Katie Hobbs, approved several pivotal laws recently. Among them is a measure to restrict foreign adversaries, notably China, from acquiring land in the state, coupled with a new initiative to enhance oversight of Arizona’s prison system.
Limiting Land Ownership by Foreign Adversaries
The newly signed land-ownership law aims to bolster national security. Initially, Gov. Hobbs vetoed a prior version of the bill, which had narrowly passed the state Senate along party lines. Following negotiations, an alternative version emerged, gaining bipartisan backing in the legislature. The amended bill intends to shield Arizona’s military assets from foreign threats.
Senator Janae Shamp (R-Surprise) emphasized the importance of the bill, noting, “A cornerstone of U.S. air superiority, Luke Air Force Base trains over 75% of the world’s F-35 pilots. Its continued safety is not just Arizona’s priority, it’s a national imperative.”
Despite bipartisan support, some Democrats remain skeptical. Concerns over constitutional issues were raised, with Senator Mitzi Epstein (D-Tempe) arguing, “We don’t start from ‘if you’re simply from this country you cannot buy land here.’ That seems prejudicial and un-American.”
Senate Minority Leader Priya Sundareshan (D-Tucson) also expressed reservations about discriminating against individuals based on national origin. Similar legislation in Florida has sparked legal challenges on constitutional grounds, highlighting complexities in implementing such measures.
The Arizona bill does not universally ban land ownership by individuals from adversarial nations. Instead, it targets specific entities and individuals linked to foreign adversary nations, defining them as agents involved in espionage or entities controlled by such nations.
Enhancing Prison Oversight
In response to increasing incidents of violence within state prisons, Arizona has established an independent office to oversee its correctional facilities. This new law empowers the office to investigate, address complaints, and produce reports, aiming to improve accountability.
Representative Walt Blackman (R-Snowflake) highlighted the necessity of Senate Bill 1507, stating, “This actually provides the overwatch that we need on our prison systems. Our prison systems are the second-largest budget item we have, at $2 billion.”
The bill saw bipartisan approval, yet faced opposition from some Republicans, like Representative Alexander Kolodin (R-Scottsdale). Kolodin criticized the bill for not establishing genuine independence, pointing out that the oversight director would be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate, potentially limiting impartiality.
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