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H141 • 2025

An Act prohibiting the purchase of farm land by foreign governments

An Act prohibiting the purchase of farm land by foreign governments

Agriculture
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Marcus S. Vaughn
Last action
2026-03-19
Official status
Accompanied a study order, see H5249 (under House Rule 27)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act prohibiting the purchase of farm land by foreign governments

An Act prohibiting the purchase of farm land by foreign governments By Representative Vaughn of Wrentham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act prohibiting the purchase of farm land by foreign governments By Representative Vaughn of Wrentham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 141) of Marcus S.
  • Vaughn for legislation to prohibit foreign governments from holding any interest in agricultural land.
  • Agriculture.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-19 House

    Accompanied a study order, see H5249 (under House Rule 27)

  2. 2025-08-28 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 09/16/2025 from 10:00 AM-1:00 PM in B-1

  3. 2025-06-27 Joint

    Referred, pursuant to an order adopted by the two branches, to the committee on Agriculture and Fisheries

  4. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Agriculture

  5. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

  6. House

    Reported by committee to Clerk’s Office for processing, will accompany a study order

Official Summary Text

An Act prohibiting the purchase of farm land by foreign governments
By Representative Vaughn of Wrentham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 141) of Marcus S. Vaughn for legislation to prohibit foreign governments from holding any interest in agricultural land. Agriculture.

Current Bill Text

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Bill H.141

SECTION 1. Chapter 184 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 1 the following new section:-

Section 1A.

(a) As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context requires otherwise, have the following meanings:—

“Agricultural land” means the same as it is defined in section 1 of chapter 61A.

"Controlling interest" means either possession of more than 50 percent of the ownership interests in an entity or a percentage ownership in an entity of 50 percent or less if such owner directs the business and affairs of such entity without the requirement or consent of any other party.

“Department" means the Department of Agricultural Resources.

"Foreign government" means a government or state-controlled enterprise of a foreign government. The term does not include the government of the United States or any government of its states, territories, or possessions.

"Interest" means any estate, remainder, or reversion, or portion of the estate, remainder, or reversion, or an option pursuant to which one party has a right to cause legal or equitable title to agricultural land to be transferred.

(b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, on and after June 1, 2025, no foreign government shall purchase, acquire, lease, or hold any interest in agricultural land in the Commonwealth that is within a 20-mile radius of a United States military base. This section shall not apply to (i) any interest in agricultural land held by a foreign government prior to June 1, 2025, or (ii) any federally recognized tribal government units and enterprises. Any transfer of an interest in land in violation of this section shall be void.

(c) The Department shall compile an annual report in consultation with the appropriate state agencies and boards for each calendar year containing the following:

1. The total amount of agricultural land that is under foreign ownership or leased by a foreign government;

2. The percentage change in foreign ownership of agricultural land in the Commonwealth for each year over the prior 10 years;

3. The purpose for which foreign-owned agricultural land in the Commonwealth is being used currently. To the extent such information is available, the Department shall also include any significant recent changes or trends in the uses of foreign-owned agricultural land in the Commonwealth;

4. With the assistance of relevant state agencies, information regarding the extent of, and any recent changes in, foreign ownership of energy production, storage, or distribution facilities in the Commonwealth to the extent such information is available; and

5. Any legislative, regulatory, or administrative policy changes the Department recommends in light of the information in this report.

(d) The report required in subsection (c) shall be compiled and submitted to both the house and senate committees on ways and means and posted on the Department’s website not later than July 31 of each year detailing the findings of the previous calendar year.

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