As it currently stands, Texas law guarantees that "an alien has the same real and personal property rights as a United States citizen." That might not sound controversial—but a new bill is seeking to add some major exceptions.
Senate Bill (S.B.) 147, introduced in November by state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R–Brenham), would bar any "individual who is a citizen of China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia" from buying property in Texas. S.B. 147 would also block government and corporate entities of those nations from purchasing or acquiring property in the state. Last month, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced that he would sign the bill if passed.
