This bill amends RCW 64.16.005. It keeps the existing statement that "any alien" may acquire, hold, convey, mortgage, devise, and have lands descend as if a native citizen, but adds a new subsection (2) that limits that right for certain nonresident aliens. The new prohibition takes effect for acquisitions on or after August 1, 2025. Under the added subsection, nonresident aliens (and their agents, trustees, or fiduciaries) are prohibited from directly acquiring any interest in agricultural, forest, or mineral land unless the alien’s original country of citizenship allows U.S. citizens to own agricultural real property. The prohibition does not apply to U.S. citizens who also hold foreign citizenship. Exemptions are provided for land acquired by devise, inheritance, as security for indebtedness, or by collection or enforcement of a lien or claim; land acquired in collection of debts or by enforcement of a lien must be disposed of within three years. Citizens or subjects of foreign countries with treaty rights or reciprocal landownership rights are exempt, and the prohibition does not apply to agricultural land associated with food processing facilities. The text does not define key terms used (for example, "alien," "nonresident alien," "original country of citizenship," or the specific categories of land and "food processing facilities"), and it does not include implementing procedures, enforcement mechanisms, or penalties. Affected parties identified include nonresident aliens and their agents, U.S. citizens with dual citizenship, owners/operators of agricultural, forest, or mineral land and food processing facilities. Sponsors are Senators Wagoner and Warnick, and the bill was referred to the Committee on Law & Justice.

If enacted, starting August 1, 2025 the bill would bar nonresident aliens (and their agents, trustees, or fiduciaries) from directly buying agricultural, forest, or mineral land in Washington unless the buyer’s original country of citizenship allows U.S. citizens to own agricultural real property; the prohibition does not apply to U.S. citizens who also hold foreign citizenship, to land obtained by inheritance or by collection/enforcement of debts (but such debt-acquired land must be sold within three years), to persons protected by treaty or reciprocal ownership rights, or to agricultural land tied to food processing facilities. Practically, this narrows who can directly purchase those categories of land, likely reducing options for foreign buyers, complicating sales and lending or foreclosure situations where a nonresident alien would otherwise take title, and forcing quicker disposal of land acquired through debt enforcement. Key implementation details are unclear from the text provided: the bill does not define terms like “nonresident alien,” “original country of citizenship,” or the land categories, nor does it state how citizenship status is documented or how the prohibition will be enforced or penalized. Those gaps mean buyers, sellers, lenders, and courts may face uncertainty about compliance and risk until further implementing guidance or related statutory definitions are identified.