Commons’ Bill on Foreign Influence Heads to Braun

Legislation sponsored byState Rep. Matt Commons (R-Williamsport) toidentify foreign influence in Indiana’s political activity is headed to the governor for consideration as a new law.

The U.S. Department of Commerce maintains a list of adversarial countries including Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Cuba and Venezuela. Senate Enrolled Act 256 would require agents, individuals or entities of these countries who are working in Indiana to identify and disclose any funding, contracts and political activities they may have with their country’s government. The attorney general would be empowered to investigate individuals or entities suspected of affiliating with federally designated foreign terrorist organizations.

“Transparency around foreign influence in Indiana’s political activity is a priority,” Commons said. “Indiana has a legitimate interest in knowing when this type of influence is present, and Hoosiers deserve to know who is attempting to shape state and local policy, especially when they’re from adversarial countries.”

The bill would also prohibit affiliates of foreign terrorist organizations from accessing state resources including funding, contracts, jobs and tax benefits. State-funded entities would be banned from providing them any financial support. Commons said intellectual property would be protected by requiring students from adversarial countries, who are not dual citizens or permanent residents of the U.S., to pass a security review before being admitted into qualifying programs such as engineering, computer science and more at state education institutions.

Commons said it would expand current policy banning foreign adversaries from owning farmland and real estate and further limit the acquiring or leasing of land in Indiana

To learn more about SB 256 and follow session, visit iga.in.gov.

Commons represents House District 13, which includes all of Benton and Warren counties, and portions of Fountain, Jasper, Montgomery, Newton, Tippecanoe and White counties.