Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H141 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3067 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 141
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Marcus S. Vaughn
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act prohibiting the purchase of farm land by foreign governments.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Marcus S. Vaughn9th Norfolk1/16/2025 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3067 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 141
18	18	By Representative Vaughn of Wrentham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 141) of
19	19	Marcus S. Vaughn for legislation to prohibit foreign governments from holding any interest in
20	20	agricultural land. Agriculture.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
24	24	(2025-2026)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act prohibiting the purchase of farm land by foreign governments.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 184 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition,
30	30	2is hereby amended by inserting after section 1 the following new section:-
31	31	3 Section 1A. (a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context
32	32	4requires otherwise, have the following meanings:—
33	33	5 “Agricultural land” means the same as it is defined in section 1 of chapter 61A.
34	34	6 "Controlling interest" means either possession of more than 50 percent of the ownership
35	35	7interests in an entity or a percentage ownership in an entity of 50 percent or less if such owner
36	36	8directs the business and affairs of such entity without the requirement or consent of any other
37	37	9party.
38	38	10 “Department" means the Department of Agricultural Resources. 2 of 3
39	39	11 "Foreign government" means a government or state-controlled enterprise of a foreign
40	40	12government. The term does not include the government of the United States or any government
41	41	13of its states, territories, or possessions.
42	42	14 "Interest" means any estate, remainder, or reversion, or portion of the estate, remainder,
43	43	15or reversion, or an option pursuant to which one party has a right to cause legal or equitable title
44	44	16to agricultural land to be transferred.
45	45	17 (b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, on and after June 1, 2025,
46	46	18no foreign government shall purchase, acquire, lease, or hold any interest in agricultural land in
47	47	19the Commonwealth that is within a 20-mile radius of a United States military base. This section
48	48	20shall not apply to (i) any interest in agricultural land held by a foreign government prior to June
49	49	211, 2025, or (ii) any federally recognized tribal government units and enterprises. Any transfer of
50	50	22an interest in land in violation of this section shall be void.
51	51	23 (c) The Department shall compile an annual report in consultation with the appropriate
52	52	24state agencies and boards for each calendar year containing the following:
53	53	25 1. The total amount of agricultural land that is under foreign ownership or leased by a
54	54	26foreign government;
55	55	27 2. The percentage change in foreign ownership of agricultural land in the Commonwealth
56	56	28for each year over the prior 10 years;
57	57	29 3. The purpose for which foreign-owned agricultural land in the Commonwealth is being
58	58	30used currently. To the extent such information is available, the Department shall also include any 3 of 3
59	59	31significant recent changes or trends in the uses of foreign-owned agricultural land in the
60	60	32Commonwealth;
61	61	33 4. With the assistance of relevant state agencies, information regarding the extent of, and
62	62	34any recent changes in, foreign ownership of energy production, storage, or distribution facilities
63	63	35in the Commonwealth to the extent such information is available; and
64	64	36 5. Any legislative, regulatory, or administrative policy changes the Department
65	65	37recommends in light of the information in this report.
66	66	38 (d) The report required in subsection (c) shall be compiled and submitted to both the
67	67	39house and senate committees on ways and means and posted on the Department’s website not
68	68	40later than July 31 of each year detailing the findings of the previous calendar year.