Missouri 2024 Assembly to Focus on Foreign Land Ownership Laws

MISSOURI — As the Missouri General Assembly gears up for its 2024 session, state lawmakers are placing a significant emphasis on foreign land ownership, a topic that has risen to the forefront of legislative priorities. This issue, which gained considerable attention in the last legislative session, is expected to be a central theme in the upcoming deliberations.

The spotlight on this issue intensified last year with several proposed measures aimed at curbing foreign ownership of Missouri land. A notable example was Senate Joint Resolution 41, championed by Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden of Columbia. This resolution sought to establish the Joint Committee on State Security, reflecting concerns about the implications of foreign land ownership. Rowden emphasized the importance of adaptability in addressing these concerns, stating, “Our friends may not be our friends 20 years from now.”

Furthering this legislative trend, Senator Doug Beck of St. Louis sponsored Senate Bill 144. For five years, Beck has been a vocal advocate for keeping Missouri farmland within local or American hands. He expressed a clear preference for Missouri land remaining under Missouri control, a sentiment echoing the views of many state lawmakers and citizens.

With the commencement of the pre-filing period for the 2024 session, there is an evident expectation that new legislative proposals will focus on the issue of foreign land ownership. This anticipation sets the stage for a session poised to make significant strides in how the state approaches this topic.

Among the bills that indicate this legislative shift is Senate Bill 9 (SB 9), sponsored by Senator Eigel. SB 9 seeks to revise current laws governing the foreign ownership of real estate, particularly agricultural land. The bill, set to take effect on August 28, 2023, proposes prohibiting any new acquisitions of real estate by aliens or foreign businesses, a stark change from existing regulations.

Currently, the law limits foreign ownership of agricultural land to a maximum of 1% of the state’s total agricultural acreage. SB 9 aims to completely halt new acquisitions of agricultural land by foreign entities from late August 2023. Furthermore, the bill requires that all proposed transfers of agricultural land held by foreign entities be reviewed by the Missouri Department of Agriculture, ensuring compliance with the new ownership restrictions.

Reflecting a broader legislative effort, SB 9 aligns with similar bills like SCS/SBs 332 & 334, 541 & 144 (2023), and SB 791 (2022). This consistency indicates a statewide commitment to tightening control over foreign ownership of Missouri’s real estate and agricultural lands. As these new regulations are set to unfold, their impact on the real estate market and the state’s agricultural sector will be a subject of keen interest and scrutiny.