All Roll Calls
Yes: 116 • No: 10
ArkansasHB16802025 Regular SessionHouse
TO PREVENT A FOREIGN-PARTY-CONTROLLED BUSINESS FROM LEASING LAND; AND TO PROHIBIT A PROHIBITED FOREIGN PARTY FROM HOLDING AN INTEREST IN REAL PROPERTY OR AGRICULTURAL LAND IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
Sponsored By: Blake Johnson (Republican), DeAnn Vaught (Republican)
Enacted
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 2 mixed.
Faster forced sales protect lienholder payments
A prohibited foreign-controlled business holding public or private land illegally has one year to sell or give it up, down from two. A prohibited foreign party losing resident-alien status also has one year, down from two, to give up farmland held under that exception. If the business misses its deadline, the Arkansas Attorney General must seek court action, and the court must order foreclosure. Sale money goes first to lienholders by priority, except for liens that remain on the land after the sale. Notices of the court case and sale order must be promptly recorded in local land records.
Foreign land ownership helpers face felonies
Felony penalties for prohibited farmland ownership now also cover agents, trustees, and other representatives acting with a prohibited foreign party. A conviction brings up to two years in prison, a $15,000 fine, or both. The penalty applies to ownership after passage of the land-restriction law. Ownership covered by the law's exceptions, including the resident-alien exception, is excluded.
Tighter land limits for covered foreign parties
Businesses with at least 50% aggregate ownership by prohibited foreign parties cannot lease any interest in Arkansas land. Agents, trustees, and others holding land for those businesses cannot hold or keep it for them. Agricultural-land rules now cover qualifying farm, ranch, timber, and forestry land inside city limits, as well as leases shorter than one year. Prohibited foreign parties cannot hold any agricultural-land interest within 10 miles of critical infrastructure. That infrastructure includes military sites, emergency services, power and utility systems, transportation facilities, and key computer or communications systems.
Foreign land rules cover coordinated ownership
Arkansas changes who counts as a prohibited foreign party under its land rules. Covered groups include people and governments tied to countries subject to federal arms-trade restrictions, certain entities, and their representatives. The rules also cover entities designated by the U.S. State Department as Entities of Particular Concern. An interest of 33% or more held by someone acting with prohibited foreign parties counts toward significant interest or control. A person who is also a U.S. citizen is excluded from the category based on foreign citizenship or residence.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
Blake Johnson
Republican • Senate
DeAnn Vaught
Republican • House
Cosponsors
Brandon Achor
Republican • House
Wade Andrews
Republican • House
Brit McKenzie
Republican • House
Sonia Eubanks Barker
Republican • House
Howard M. Beaty, Jr.
Republican • House
Rick Beck
Republican • House
Mary Bentley
Republican • House
Harlan Breaux
Republican • House
Keith Brooks
Republican • House
Cameron Cooper
Republican • House
Frances Cavenaugh
Republican • House
Paul Childress
Republican • House
Bruce Cozart
Republican • House
Cindy Crawford
Republican • House
James Eaton
Republican • House
Brian S. Evans
Republican • House
Tony Furman
Republican • House
Jimmy Gazaway
Republican • House
Zack Gramlich
Republican • House
Brad Hall
Republican • House
RJ Hawk
Republican • House
Steve Hollowell
Republican • House
Jeremiah Moore
Republican • House
Joey L. Carr
Republican • House
John P. Carr
Republican • House
Karilyn Brown
Republican • House
Lee Johnson
Republican • House
Wayne Long
Republican • House
Robin Lundstrum
Republican • House
Roger D. Lynch
Republican • House
Matt Brown
Republican • House
Mark D. McElroy
Republican • House
Matthew J. Shepherd
Republican • House
John Maddox
Republican • House
Mindy McAlindon
Republican • House
Rick McClure
Republican • House
Richard McGrew
Republican • House
Ron McNair
Republican • House
Jon Milligan
Republican • House
Nick Burkes
Republican • House
Jason Nazarenko
Republican • House
Stetson Painter
Republican • House
Shad Pearce
Republican • House
Mark Perry
Democratic • House
Aaron Pilkington
Republican • House
Chad Puryear
Republican • House
Rebecca Burkes
Republican • House
R. Scott Richardson
Republican • House
David Ray
Republican • House
Marcus E. Richmond
Republican • House
Ryan A. Rose
Republican • House
Johnny Rye
Republican • House
Stan Berry
Republican • House
Bart Schulz
Republican • House
Trey Steimel
Republican • House
Randy Torres
Republican • House
Dwight Tosh
Republican • House
Kendon Underwood
Republican • House
Steve Unger
Republican • House
Steven Walker
Republican • House
Carlton Wing
Republican • House
Jim Wooten
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 4/14/2025
Senate Vote - Monday, April 14, 2025 12:57:48 PM
Yes: 29 • No: 6
House vote • 4/3/2025
House Vote - Thursday, April 3, 2025 3:30:49 PM
Yes: 87 • No: 4 • Other: 2
Actions Timeline
Notification that HB1680 is now Act 811
4/17/2025HouseCorrectly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's Office.
4/15/2025HouseTO BE ENROLLED
4/14/2025HouseReturned from the Senate as passed.
4/14/2025HouseReturned to the House as passed.
4/14/2025SenateRead the third time and passed.
4/14/2025SenateReturned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass
4/8/2025SenateRead first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - SENATE
4/3/2025SenateReceived from the House.
4/3/2025SenateRead the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
4/3/2025HouseReturned by the Committee Do Pass
4/2/2025HouseREPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED
3/31/2025HouseAmendment No. 1 read and adopted and the bill ordered engrossed.
3/31/2025HousePlaced on second reading for the purpose of amendment.
3/31/2025HouseRead the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT- HOUSE
3/4/2025HouseFiled
3/4/2025House
Bill Text
HB1680 - Introduced
3/4/2025
Act Version
Related Bills
HB1265, AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.
HB1237, TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO SET PENALTIES FOR A VIOLATION OF THE PROHIBITION OF SOLICITATION OF INJURED INDIVIDUALS.
HB1686, TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS.
SB440, TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE USE OF ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS; AND TO REGULATE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS FACILITIES.
HB1695, TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO ALLOW A MUNICIPALITY TO PETITION TO SET ASIDE THE SALE OF PROPERTY TO CERTAIN PERSONS; AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE PRIORITY OF UNRECORDED MUNICIPAL LIENS.
HR1012, TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY; TO REQUIRE THAT A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BE SELECTED AS A DESIGNATED SURVIVOR.