Georgia
Lawmakers seek to limit who can purchase Georgia farmland
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – State lawmakers want to keep foreign investors from purchasing Georgia farmland.
Senate Bill 420 would make it a felony for investors to purchase farmland if they have ties with any countries deemed adversarial by the Department of Commerce.
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper has been vocal in pushing lawmakers to act quickly.
“We can’t be the best state for business if the number one industry in our state isn’t successful. We can’t ensure that our kids have healthy foods in their school and that they have clothes on their backs if agriculture isn’t successful,” said Harper.
Harper feels foreign investors pose a threat to the livelihood of farmers and national security.
Harper’s office reports that roughly 2,000 acres of farmland in Georgia is owned by companies with ties to adversarial nations. This includes Henry County where Jake Carter is a fifth-generation farmer.
“Farmers in general have a tough row to hoe. We face adverse conditions, climate, disease, and outside pressures. When you have foreign investors come in that makes it an even harder position for Georgia agriculture. We are here. We dont want to go anywhere. We want to remain on our land we want the farmers in America to continue producing,” said Carter.
12 states enacted similar laws last year. Florida’s bill that mirrors the proposal here in Georgia is held up in a discrimination lawsuit.
At a bill hearing on Wednesday, critics of the bill offered suggestions. Some wanted changes, others wanted it to be killed altogether.
Thông Phan with Asian Americans Advancing Justice Atlanta said the bill is constitutionally vague and would perpetuate dangerous stereotypes.
“we find this bill deeply troubling… This feeds into anti-Chinese hysteria while achieving no measurable benefits to national security,” said Phan.
Bill sponsor Sen. Jason Anavitarte listened to the feedback and will now have time to change or present the bill for a vote as is.
Copyright 2024 WANF. All rights reserved.
PERRY, Ga. (WALB) — The Georgia National Fair announced ticket pricing changes for 2026 in a Facebook post.
Children ages 3-10 will now require a $5 admission ticket.
Adult tickets purchased with cash at the entry gate will cost $20, excluding discounted admission days. Adults paying with a card at the gate will pay $15.
All online transactions will include a processing fee.
Discounted admission days will be $10 for everyone. Seniors 60 and up are $10 every day.
For more ticket information and fair dates, visit https://www.georgianationalfair.com/p/getconnected/pricing.
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Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.
GEORGIA, Ga. (WALB) — A new bill introduced to the Georgia Senate could create a constitutional amendment to restrict voting to legal U.S. citizens.
The bill, Senate Resolution 4EX says, “No person who is not a citizen of the United States shall be entitled to vote at any election by the people.”
If passed, Georgians will vote on the constitutional amendment in the November election.
Georgia Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger said “I have been calling on the legislature for years to pass this amendment to the state constitution. I am glad to see the legislature finally act to ensure only American citizens are voting in our elections.”
According to Raffensperger, Georgia was the first state in the nation to conduct citizen verification of voter rolls. Since 2022, Raffensperger’s office conducted two citizenship audits of Georgia’s voter rolls.
SR 4EX Text
“Casting a vote is one of the most important elements of American citizenship. Any illegal vote dilutes the value of a citizen’s lawfully cast ballot. U.S. Citizens should decide Georgia elections. Period. I urge the legislature to pass this important legislation.”
The state uses information from the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) to identify people who are non-citizens. This data is based on documents provided to DDS, through its REAL ID drivers licenses or state identification cards.
That information is also ran through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to verify an individual’s citizenship status.
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To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook, Instagram and X. For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app and add WALB as a preferred source on Google.
Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.
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