The debate over Texas’ foreign land ownership ban has taken an unusual turn, with State Rep. Matt Shaheen (R–Plano) claiming in a journal statement that he meant to vote against his own amendment that critics say significantly weakened the legislation.
Shaheen’s amendment, adopted during the second reading of Senate Bill 17, narrowed the scope of who would be barred from purchasing land in Texas.
Instead of a blanket ban on individuals from designated foreign adversaries, the amendment added an exception: the prohibition would only apply to those who are not lawfully present and residing in the United States.
That change, some members warned, would allow foreign nationals from countries like China, Iran, and Russia to buy land in Texas as long as they are here on a valid visa.
Only 19 members originally voted against the amendment.
Sometime after the vote, Shaheen submitted a journal statement claiming he accidentally voted yes on his own amendment.
In the Texas House, journal statements are formal written notes lawmakers can submit after a vote to clarify or explain how they intended to vote, especially if they believe they voted in error. While they don’t change the official vote count, they are entered into the legislative record as part of the House Journal.
In recent years, some lawmakers have added journal statements long after the actual vote in order to guard against potential vulnerabilities in campaigns.
The mixed signals from Shaheen, however, don’t end there.
When an amendment was later offered on third reading the next day to repeal the Shaheen language, he doubled down—voting against repealing it. He was joined by State Rep. Angie Chen Button (R–Richardson), as the only two Republicans to oppose the repeal.
While a majority of members supported undoing the Shaheen language, it did not reach the two-thirds threshold necessary for third reading amendments.
The final version of SB 17 passed the House and is now in conference committee, where lawmakers from both chambers will negotiate which version of the bill becomes law. With the legislative session set to end June 2, conservatives are hopeful the Shaheen language will be stripped out before final approval.
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