Chinese Land Ownership Prohibition

2025-2026 Bill 4974: Chinese Land Ownership Prohibition - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 4974
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Gilliam, Rankin, Yow, C. Mitchell, Haddon, Lastinger, Martin, Chapman, Gagnon, Sanders, Vaughan, Pedalino, Willis, Crawford, Erickson and Hartnett
Companion/Similar bill(s): 3343
Document Path: LC-0484SA26.docx
Introduced in the House on January 15, 2026
Currently residing in the House
Summary: Chinese Land Ownership Prohibition
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

1/15/2026

House

Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 28
)

1/15/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
(
House Journal-page 28
)

3/4/2026

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Lastinger

4/1/2026

House

Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Martin,
Chapman, Gagnon, Sanders, Vaughan, Pedalino,
Willis, Crawford, Erickson, Hartnett

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
01/15/2026

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS
BY ADDING SECTION
27-1-80
SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT CERTAIN COMPANIES OWNED, IN
WHOLE OR IN PART, OR CONTROLLED BY THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA OR THE
CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY MAY NOT OWN, LEASE, POSSESS, OR EXERCISE ANY CONTROL
OVER ANY LAND OR REAL ESTATE LOCATED WITHIN TWENTY-FIVE MILES OF A STATE OR
FEDERAL MILITARY BASE OR INSTALLATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF INSTALLING OR ERECTING
CERTAIN TOWERS.

W
hereas, the General Assembly finds that the People's Republic of
China (PRC), led by the Chinese Communist Party, is an autocratic and
totalitarian government and has been recognized by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation as a "grave threat to the economic well-being and democratic
values of the United States"; and

W
hereas, the federal government has determined that a number of
foreign nations are actively hostile to the United States and pursuant to
federal law has designated these nations as foreign adversaries:

(1) the People's Republic
of China;

(2) the Republic of Cuba;

(3) the Islamic Republic
of Iran;

(4) the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea;

(5) the Russian
Federation; and

(6) the Venezuelan
politician Nicolás Maduro (Maduro Regime); and

W
hereas, federal law enforcement and homeland security authorities
have warned businesses and the public of the dangers of using technology
manufactured in the PRC, as such technology can be used to steal trade secrets,
disrupt U.S. infrastructure, spy on U.S. citizens and governmental agencies,
and otherwise be used by the Chinese government to undermine the interests and
values of the United States and the ability of its citizens to live in a free,
democratic society; and

W
hereas, the National Intelligence Law of the People's Republic of
China requires all Chinese businesses to assist in China's intelligence
operations; and

W
hereas, the General Assembly desires to continue South Carolina's
long and successful history of inviting international cooperation in economic
development while taking precautions against predatory, hostile interests; and

W
hereas, the General Assembly finds that narrowly focused legislation
limiting the ability of individuals and entities under the control of hostile
foreign adversary governments to acquire sensitive real property, to protect
South Carolina's critical infrastructure from cyberattacks and electronic espionage,
and is necessary and proper for the protection of the state's economy and the
freedom of its residents. Now, therefore,

B
e it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

S
ECTION 1.
C
hapter 1, Title 27 of the
S.C. Code is amended by adding:

S
ection
27-1-80
.
(
A) Any company or
development owned or controlled by a company that is owned, in whole or in
part, by, or is a subsidiary of, a company that is owned or controlled by the
People's Republic of China or the Chinese Communist Party or whose principal
place of business is located within the People's Republic of China may not own,
lease, possess, or exercise any control over any land or real estate located
within twenty-five miles of a state or federal military base or installation
for the purpose of installing or erecting any type of telecommunications or
broadcasting tower. Any telecommunications or broadcasting equipment in place
before January 1, 2025, must be replaced with equipment made in the United
States and installed by a company located in the United States. All
telecommunications and broadcasting equipment may be inspected at anytime
without notice for monitoring, jamming, or interception equipment which must be
removed if found.

(
B) For purposes of this section:

(
1) "Chinese Communist Party" includes
all agencies, institutions, and instrumentalities of the Chinese Communist
Party.

(
2) "Company" or "development" means a
sole proprietorship, organization, association, corporation, partnership,
trust, venture, group, subgroup, or any other entity or organization, its
subsidiary, or affiliate that exists for profit making purposes or to otherwise
secure economic advantage.

(
3) "Military base" includes, but is not
limited to, Fort Jackson, Shaw Air Force Base, Marine Corps Air Station
Beaufort, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, Joint Base Charleston,
McEntire Joint National Guard Base, and the United States Coast Guard Stations
at Charleston and Georgetown. The term also shall include any base, camp, post,
facility, station, yard, range, or other activity under the jurisdiction of the
United States Secretary of Defense, the secretary of a military department, or
the Governor or Adjutant General of South Carolina.

(
4) "People's Republic of China"
includes all agencies, institutions, instrumentalities, and political
subdivisions of the People's Republic of China.

S
ECTION
2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

----XX----

This web page was last updated on January 15, 2026 at 11:28 AM