Kansas’ governor has killed proposed limits on foreign land ownership

By JOHN HANNA
AP Political Writer

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has vetoed proposed restrictions on foreign ownership of land in Kansas. Kelly rejected a bill that top Republicans argued would protect military bases from Chinese spying. Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins accused Kelly of “apathy” toward serious national security threats from China and other nations declared by the U.S. government to be adversaries “of concern.” Those nations include Cuba, Iraq, North Korea and Venezuela. The bill would have prohibited more than 10% ownership by foreign nationals from those countries of any non-residential property within 100 miles of any military installation. That would have been most of Kansas. Kelly said it was too broad.