New Hampshire SB 162: exempting commercial vessels from rafting rules.

Bill Text

SB 162-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

03/13/2025 0744s

2025 SESSION

 25-1044

 11/06

SENATE BILL 162-FN

AN ACT relative to restrictions on acquisition of ownership, controlling, and occupancy interests in real property by certain foreign principals on or around certain military installations, and criminal penalties and civil forfeiture procedures for illegal acquisition.

SPONSORS: Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Lang, Dist 2; Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. Gannon, Dist 23; Sen. Pearl, Dist 17; Sen. McGough, Dist 11

COMMITTEE: Commerce

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ANALYSIS

 This bill restricts foreign principals from countries of concern, or their agents, from acquiring ownership, controlling, or occupancy interests in real property within 10 miles of a protected facility. 

 This bill also establishes an affidavit filing requirement to confirm eligibility for acquiring such property interests and introduces criminal penalties and a forfeiture procedure for violations.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

 Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03/13/2025 0744s 25-1044

 11/06

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five

AN ACT relative to restrictions on acquisition of ownership, controlling, and occupancy interests in real property by certain foreign principals on or around certain military installations, and criminal penalties and civil forfeiture procedures for illegal acquisition.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 1 New Subdivision; Ownership or Lease of Real Property by Foreign Principals from Foreign Countries of Concern. Amend RSA 477 by inserting after section 477:22-a the following new subdivision:

Ownership or Lease of Real Property by Foreign Principals from Foreign Countries of Concern

 477:22-b Definitions. In this subdivision:

 I. "Company” or "development" means a sole proprietorship, organization, association, corporation, partnership, trust, venture, group, subgroup, or any other entity or organization, including its subsidiary or affiliate, that exists for profit-making purposes or to otherwise secure economic advantage. 

 II. “Foreign country of concern” means the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Syrian Arab Republic, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, including any agencies, institutions, instrumentalities, ruling political parties, or any other entity exercising significant control over any of these listed countries. 

 III. “Foreign principal” means: 

 (a) The government or any government official, in any capacity, of a foreign country of concern.

 (b) A company, development, or other entity organized under the laws of, or having its principal place of business in, a foreign country of concern.

 (c) Any natural person who is an employee or agent of a foreign country of concern. 

 IV. "Protected facility" means the buildings, fixtures, and land contained on or within the perimeters of the following:

 (a) New Hampshire National Guard in Concord, New Hampshire.

 (b) New Hampshire Army Aviation Support Facility in Concord, New Hampshire.

 (c) Readiness Center of the 197th Artillery Brigade in Manchester, New Hampshire.

 (d) Pease Air National Guard Base in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

 (e) New Boston Space Force Station in New Boston, New Hampshire.

 (f) Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

 V. "Real property" means land, buildings, fixtures, and all other improvements to land.

 VI. “Within 10 miles of a protected facility” means real property within 10 miles of a protected facility, measured as the shortest distance between any portion of the real property’s perimeter and any portion of the protected facility’s perimeter. 

 477:22-c Ownership, Control, and Occupancy; Prohibitions. 

 I. No foreign principal may acquire any ownership or controlling interest in real property within 10 miles of any protected facility by any means, including but not limited to, purchase, grant, contract, eminent domain, or demise.

 II. No foreign principal may lease or otherwise enter into a contract to occupy or control, or allow another foreign principal or agent to occupy or control, any real property within 10 miles of a protected facility. 

 477:22-d Qualified Renter/Purchaser Affidavit Required.

 I. Every person or entity who leases or acquires an ownership or controlling interest in property within 10 miles of a protected facility shall file with the office of the attorney