The Arizona Senate’s top Republican says he’ll give lawmakers the chance to override Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs’ veto of a bill intended to ban China from owning Arizona land.
A growing number of states have banned the communist country from making land purchases, citing national security concerns. But Hobbs vetoed Arizona’s version of the legislation on Monday and criticized it as an “ineffective” counter-espionage tactic.
Republicans said they were shocked the governor rejected the bill, and Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Gilbert) announced he’ll put the measure back up for a vote in an attempt to override Hobbs’ veto.
“The AZ Senate will put this up for a veto override the week of June 16th. We should not be selling land to entities who are a threat to our security,” Petersen posted on X on Thursday.
But a veto override requires a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate, meaning the override won’t succeed unless most legislative Democrats reverse course and vote for a bill that previously passed without their support.
It’s not clear whether the House also intends to hold a veto override vote.
Senate Bill 1109 sponsor Sen. Janae Shamp (R-Wickenburg) accused Hobbs of “endangering state and national security” by vetoing her bill.
Shamp said she’s concerned China will buy land near Luke Air Force Base and spy on it.
“It is utterly insane that Arizona's top elected official would rather be an obstructionist against safeguarding our citizens from threats than to sign legislation giving our state a fighting chance at proactively preventing attacks. Hobbs is a total disgrace,” Shamp said in a statement.
A spokesman for Hobbs says the bill doesn’t have the teeth Republicans think it does.
The “do-nothing” bill, spokesman Christian Slater noted on X, would still allow China to own Arizona land for three years and open the “floodgates for Chinese Communist Party proxies to own land next door to military bases.”
“Send something that isn't riddled with loopholes and stop damaging national security with your politics,” Slater wrote.
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