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 Senate Bill 212 heads to the governor office after the senate gave approval on Friday. SB 212 strengthens the state’s fight against illegal purchases of Oklahoma land by non-U.S. citizens.

Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, said with the proliferation of land grabs following the legalization of medical marijuana, the state must take swift, definitive action to preserve and protect Oklahoma and its citizens.

“I have been working to stop the foreign takeover of our state by means of illegally purchasing our land,” Bullard said. “To date, they have consumed over 380,000 acres of land. Senate Bill 212 closes the loopholes they are using and adds an affidavit to the process to create a paper trail for law enforcement to shut it down.”

SB 212 clarifies that no alien or any person who is not a U.S. citizen may directly or indirectly, through a business entity or trust, own land in Oklahoma unless otherwise authorized by current law.