MS Senate Bill 2519

Legislation

State: Mississippi
Signed: April 15, 2024

Effective: July 01, 2024
Chapter: 329

Summary

Senate Bill 2519 limits land ownership by individuals from countries designated by the U.S. government as foreign adversaries and absolves Notaries Public from a duty to inquire into whether an individual is from a foreign adversary in such transactions.

Affects

Adds as yet uncodified sections to and amends Sections 89-1-23 and 29-1-75 of the Mississippi Code.

Changes

Creates restrictions on land ownership by individuals from countries designated by the U.S. Government as foreign adversaries.
Clarifies that a Notary Public does not have a duty to make any investigation as to whether a party to a transaction involving immovable property is a foreign adversary, nor shall the Notary be liable for failing to identify that a party to a transaction involving immovable property is a foreign adversary.

Analysis

Mississippi joins Alabama, Iowa, and Louisiana in regulating foreign ownership of land by foreign adversaries. 15 C.F.R. § 7.4(a) lists the foreign countries and foreign non-government persons designated by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce as foreign adversaries. They include the People’s Republic of China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, and Venezuelan politician Nicolás Maduro. Senate Bill 2519 clarifies that a Notary does not have a duty to investigate whether a party in a transaction involving immovable property is a foreign adversary and is not liable for failing to identify that the party is a foreign adversary. Senate Bill 2519 is consistent with the broader policy that a Notary Public is not required to investigate facts involving a notarial act nor read the documents they are asked to notarize.

Read Senate Bill 2519