SB14 Alabama 2022 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Tim MelsonSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2022

Title

Agricultural land ownership, restricted to U.S. citizens and resident aliens with limited exceptions, civil penalty for registration violation

Summary

SB14 would limit ownership of agricultural land in Alabama to U.S. citizens and resident aliens with limited exceptions, and create registration requirements and penalties for violations.

What This Bill Does

It restricts new acquisition of agricultural land by nonresident aliens, foreign businesses, and foreign governments, while allowing existing ownership to continue under certain conditions. It requires owners with foreign interests to register with the Secretary of State within 60 days of the act or of acquiring the land, including owner and land details. It sets a two-year window to divest if land is acquired in violation or if ownership status becomes foreign, and it provides escheat to the state if divestment does not occur; it also imposes civil penalties up to $2,000 per offense for failing to timely file registration.

Who It Affects

• Nonresident aliens: cannot purchase or acquire agricultural land; may be required to divest within two years if acquisition occurs in violation and must register within 60 days, or face penalties.
• Foreign businesses and foreign governments (and their agents/trustees/fiduciaries): same restrictions as nonresident aliens; must register and may be required to divest within two years if applicable.
• Current landowners who become foreign-owned or who have a status change to foreign: must divest within two years after the change; land could escheat to the state if not divested.
• Owners who acquire land by devise or descent: exempt from the restriction on acquisition, but other provisions (like registration and divestment timelines) may still apply to ongoing ownership.

Key Provisions

• Defines agricultural land and related terms (farming, foreign business, foreign government, nonresident alien).
• Prohibits nonresident aliens, foreign businesses, and foreign governments from purchasing agricultural land; existing ownership can continue with limited exceptions (descent, encumbrances, certain legal processes).
• Requires registration with the Secretary of State within 60 days of the act or of acquiring the land, including owner name, land location and acreage (and principal if the land is held by an agent for a foreign owner).
• Imposes a two-year period to divest if land is acquired in violation or ownership status changes to foreign; provides escheat to the state if divestment does not occur and outlines distribution of sale proceeds.
• Imposes civil penalties up to $2,000 per offense for failure to timely file the registration.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Agriculture