Monitoring the Session

HB 4296

Shaheen Bill Bars Six Foreign Governments From Owning Texas Land

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Matt ShaheenRHouse 66

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to interests of certain foreign governments in real property.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

China, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Russia and Syria. Current holdings stay, but leases can’t be renewed.

The bill bars the governments of China, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Russia and Syria, and companies they own or control, from buying, leasing or holding any interest in Texas real property, and voids any transfer that breaks the rule. It touches those six governments, their state-controlled companies, and the companies majority-owned by those companies. Property they already held on August 31, 2025 may be kept, but leases or other interests that end after that date cannot be renewed.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 11, 2025 and referred to the House State Affairs committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4296 · 2025-03-11

SOLD BY

Rep. Matt ShaheenRHouse 66

ITEM

relating to interests of certain foreign governments in real property.

WHAT IT DOES

China, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Russia and Syria. Current holdings stay, but leases can’t be renewed.

The bill bars the governments of China, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Russia and Syria, and companies they own or control, from buying, leasing or holding any interest in Texas real property, and voids any transfer that breaks the rule. It touches those six governments, their state-controlled companies, and the companies majority-owned by those companies. Property they already held on August 31, 2025 may be kept, but leases or other interests that end after that date cannot be renewed.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to State Affairs
FILED UNDER

FOREIGN HANDS ON TEXAS

THE TEXT

…“an entity described by Section 5.252 may hold an interest in real property if the interest was held by the entity on August 31, 2025.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill shuts six named foreign governments and their controlled companies out of new Texas land deals but lets them keep property already held before the cutoff, though expiring interests cannot be renewed.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Matt Shaheen

Donors

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$402KCourt Reform Action for Families Texas PAC$100KTexans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$86K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Oct 30, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$401,656.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$401,656.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$341,656.00
Total
$401,656.00
canvassing $317,206.00polling $24,450.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 25, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069212, 101071870.

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC$100,000.00

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC

$100,000.00

Cash
$100,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$100,000.00

Also funds 32 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 20, 2026 to Oct 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 22, 2026 to Oct 10, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069212, 101071870.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$85,700.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$85,700.00

Cash
$50,000.00
Paid by others
$35,700.00
Total
$85,700.00
advertising $20,000.00polling $15,700.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 11, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101028938, 101069212, 101071870.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$401,656.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$341,656.00
Total
$401,656.00
canvassing $317,206.00polling $24,450.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 25, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069212, 101071870.

×

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC

$100,000.00

Cash
$100,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$100,000.00

Also funds 32 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 20, 2026 to Oct 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 22, 2026 to Oct 10, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069212, 101071870.

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$85,700.00

Cash
$50,000.00
Paid by others
$35,700.00
Total
$85,700.00
advertising $20,000.00polling $15,700.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 11, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101028938, 101069212, 101071870.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 11, 2025

04/01/2025 H Referred to State Affairs: Apr 1 2025 12:28PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · State Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Agriculture

Aliens

Intergovernmental Relations

Property Interests--Real Property

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Text

The text as introduced · 312 words

89R11214 DRS-D

By: Shaheen
H.B. No. 4296

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to interests of certain foreign governments in real

property.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 5.005, Property Code, is amended to read

as follows:

Sec. 5.005. ALIENS. Except as provided by Subchapter H, an

[ An ] alien has the same real and personal property rights as a

United States citizen.

SECTION 2. Chapter 5, Property Code, is amended by adding

Subchapter H to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER H. INTERESTS OF CERTAIN FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS IN REAL

PROPERTY

Sec. 5.251. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "foreign

government" means the government of China, Iran, Iraq, North Korea,

Russia, or Syria.

Sec. 5.252. CERTAIN INTERESTS IN REAL PROPERTY PROHIBITED.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, and except as provided by

Section 5.253, the following may not lease, purchase, or otherwise

acquire title to or hold any other interest in real property in this

state:

(1) a foreign government;

(2) a company or other entity that is directly or

indirectly held or controlled by a foreign government; or

(3) a company or other entity that is owned by or the

majority of stock or other ownership interest of which is held or

controlled by a company or entity described by Subdivision (2).

(b) A transfer of an interest in real property in violation

of this section is void.

Sec. 5.253. PROPERTY INTEREST HELD ON AUGUST 31, 2025. (a)

Subject to Subsection (b), an entity described by Section 5.252 may

hold an interest in real property if the interest was held by the

entity on August 31, 2025.

(b) An interest in real property held by an entity described

by Section 5.252 that terminates on or after September 1, 2025, may

not be renewed by the entity.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.