Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs on June 2 vetoed a bill that would have prohibited the Chinese communist regime and state-owned enterprises from acquiring property in Arizona, according to her office.
The proposed measure was designed to safeguard the state’s “military, commercial and agricultural assets” from the risks of “foreign espionage and sabotage,” which could lead to national security threats, according to the bill.
The governor also stated that the bill “lacks clear implementation criteria” and that it could lead to “arbitrary enforcement,” without elaborating further.
Shamp criticized the governor’s veto as a “politically motivated” move and warned that Arizona’s future would be “in jeopardy” if Hobbs were to continue on this trajectory, noting that this was not the first time Hobbs had vetoed legislation aimed at enhancing public safety.
Shamp said that China has acquired “large tracts” of land and property near critical installations in recent years that could be used to carry out surveillance and gather intelligence on critical assets of the United States.
She warned that China could use these properties to position autonomous weapons systems, such as drone swarms, and potentially use them to launch attacks on U.S. military bases in the event of a conflict.

Shamp stated that SB 1109 would have ensured that “enemies of the United States would not have easy access” to military bases and critical infrastructure.
“SB 1109 was a commonsense security measure to ensure enemies of the United States would not have easy access to our military bases and critical infrastructure to carry out harm,” she stated. “Luke Air Force Base recently faced this very real danger.”
The governor’s office did not return a request for comment by publication time.
The governor also rejected SB 1268 on May 12, which would have required hospitals to ask patients about their immigration status and submit reports on health care costs related to illegal immigration.
There have been growing concerns about the national security implications of Chinese entities’ acquiring land close to military bases.
Arizona is home to numerous military installations, including Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista, Arizona, which hosts the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence. Other key bases in the state include Yuma Proving Ground and Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, as well as several Air Force bases.