HB1372: HB1372 Agriculture; prohibit certain foreign persons and entities from acquiring a possessory interest in land located near critical infrastructure without prior approval by the Attorney General

Georgia law already restricts 'nonresident aliens' tied to foreign adversary governments from acquiring agricultural land or land near military bases and airports. This bill amends that law (O.C.G.A. § 2-1-7) to add a new category: land within five miles of 'critical infrastructure facilities,' defined broadly to include energy systems, water and wastewater systems, transportation, communications, chemical facilities, and electric membership corporation facilities. Rather than an outright ban, the bill sets up a review process: anyone covered by the restriction who wants to acquire or lease such land for more than a year must first get approval from the Attorney General, who can deny the deal if it poses a state or national security risk. That decision would be final and mostly unreviewable by courts. Violations carry civil penalties up to $100,000 per violation plus forfeiture of the interest, and intentional violations trigger separate criminal penalties already in the law. The changes would apply to acquisitions and leases starting July 1, 2026, including pending deals not yet finalized.

• Adds land within five miles of 'critical infrastructure facilities' (energy, water, transportation, communications, chemical facilities, and electric membership corporation property) to the list of restricted land near military sites.
• Requires covered foreign persons or entities to get prior approval from the Attorney General before acquiring or leasing such land for more than one year, including submitting a detailed ownership disclosure.
• Gives the Attorney General authority to deny approval based on state or national security risk, with that decision final and not subject to judicial review except for abuse of discretion.
• Sets civil penalties of up to $100,000 per violation plus forfeiture of the possessory interest, on top of existing criminal penalties for intentional violations.
• Clarifies that 'possessory interest' includes leases or rental agreements lasting more than one year, removing a prior blanket exemption for residential property from that specific provision.
• Applies the new rules to acquisitions and leases starting July 1, 2026, including transactions already pending but not finalized by that date.

The bill affects people and entities classified as 'nonresident aliens' under Georgia law, meaning individuals or businesses tied to countries the U.S. Secretary of Commerce designates as foreign adversaries. It also affects the Georgia Attorney General's office, which gains new review and enforcement duties, and owners of land near military bases, power plants, water systems, and other infrastructure.

Georgians selling or leasing land near power plants, water systems, transportation hubs, or military bases could see foreign buyers or lessees tied to adversary nations face a mandatory federal-style security review by the Attorney General, with denials effectively final and violations risking six-figure fines and loss of the land interest.

• Section 1 revises subsection (a) of O.C.G.A. § 2-1-7 to define 'critical infrastructure,' listing energy, water and wastewater, transportation, communications, chemical facilities, and electric membership corporation property as examples.
• Section 1 revises subsection (b)(1) to extend the existing restriction to land within a five-mile radius of any critical infrastructure facility, alongside the prior military base and airport restrictions.
• Section 1 adds subsection (b)(3) requiring prior Attorney General approval for covered acquisitions or leases, including a detailed ownership disclosure and a security-risk denial standard largely shielded from judicial review.
• Section 1 adds subsection (b)(4) setting civil penalties up to $100,000 per violation plus forfeiture, with intentional violations also facing existing criminal penalties under subsection (g).
• Section 2 makes the new rules apply to acquisitions and leases occurring on or after July 1, 2026, including pending transactions not yet finalized by that date.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-02-20House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-02-19House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-18House Hopper (House)

• Jordan Ridley (R, HD-022)Primary sponsor
• Jason Ridley (R, HD-006)
• Mitchell Horner (R, HD-003)
• Brad Thomas (R, HD-021)
• Steve Tarvin (R, HD-002)
• David Clark (R, HD-100)

• foreign land ownership
• critical infrastructure
• national security
• agriculture law
• Attorney General authority