Voted to Let Legal Residents from Hostile Nations to Buy Texas Land: House of Bad Cards

One of the priorities for the Republican Party of Texas was that Texas Land is Not for Sale to hostile countries.

SB 17 aimed at preventing that. A lot of drama around loopholes ensued in its path through the legislature. Rep. Matt Shaheen teamed with Rep. Angie Button to offer Amendment No. 4 in what became known as the Shaheen amendment. It would have inserted this language:

"...is not lawfully present and residing in the United States at the time the individual purchases, acquires, or holds the interest."

The problem with this amendment, if passed, is that if a foreign national from China, for example, obtained a student visa and was in the country lawfully, that person could purchase, acquire, or hold interest in Texas land.

Well, the amendment passed - and then everyone started backtracking.

It's one of the votes with the most statements of vote. Even the author of the amendment, Matt Shaheen, issued a statement of vote on his own amendment. (You can see the original journal here: 89RDAY59FINAL.htm. Then search for 1848 and scroll through. "When Record No. 1848 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." - Shaheen.)

Later, he removed it after being mocked on social media for voting for his amendment, then saying that he really mean to vote no. C'mon...

INCREDIBLE. After he was caught, Matt Shaheen REMOVED his journal statement! Unfortunately for him, I have receipts. #txlege https://t.co/MIGEMllVDq pic.twitter.com/vGcbp0edwt
— Brandon Waltens (@bwaltens) May 21, 2025

GOP Platform Conflict: Plank 201 prohibits land sales to non-citizens.

RV#1848: Yea 120 (R 62, D 58) - Nay 19 (R 19, D 0)
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Yea - Alders; Allen; Anchia; Barry; Bell, C.; Bell, K.; Bernal; Bhojani; Bonnen; Bowers; Bryant; Buckley; Bucy; Bumgarner; Button; Capriglione; Cole; Collier; Cook; Cortez; Craddick; Cunningham; Curry; Darby; Davis, A.; Davis, Y.; Dean; DeAyala; Dutton; Dyson; Fairly; Flores; Frank; Gamez; Garcia Hernandez; Garcia, J.; Garcia, L.; Gates; Gerdes; Geren; Gervin-Hawkins; Gonzalez, J.; Gonzalez, M.; Goodwin; Guerra; Guillen; Harless; Harris; Harris Davila; Hefner; Hernandez; Hickland; Hinojosa; Holt; Howard; Hunter; Isaac; Johnson; Jones, J.; Jones, V.; King; Kitzman; LaHood; Lalani; Lambert; Leach; Leo Wilson; Little; Lopez, J.; Lopez, R.; Louderback; Lujan; Luther; Manuel; Martinez; Martinez Fischer; McQueeney; Meyer; Meza; Moody; Morales Shaw; Morales, C.; Morales, E.; Munoz; Noble; Ordaz; Orr; Patterson; Perez, M.; Perez, V.; Phelan; Pierson; Plesa; Raymond; Reynolds; Rodriguez Ramos; Romero; Rose; Rosenthal; Shaheen; Simmons; Smithee; Spiller; Swanson; Talarico; Tepper; Thompson; Toth; Troxclair; Turner; VanDeaver; Vasut; Villalobos; Virdell; Vo; Ward Johnson; Wharton; Wilson; Wu; Zweiner

Nay - Ashby; Dorazio; Hayes; Hopper; Kerwin; Lowe; Lozano; McLaughlin; Money; Morgan; Olcott; Oliverson; Paul; Richardson; Schofield; Schoolcraft; Shofner; Slawson; Tinderholt

Absent - Campos; Canales; Harrison; Hull; Metcalf; Schatzline; Walle

Present, Not Voting - Burrows; Landgraf

Please note: the following statements by legislators do not affect the vote count that was recorded.

Ben Bumgarner: "When Record No. 1848 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Brian Harrison: "When Record No. 1848 was taken, I was in the house but away from my desk. I would have voted no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Caroline Harris Davila: "When Record No. 1848 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Cody Vasut: "When Record No. 1848 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

David Cook: "When Record No. 1848 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Ellen Troxclair: "When Record No. 1848 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Matt Shaheen: "When Record No. 1848 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Nate Schatzline: "When Record No. 1848 was taken, I was in the house but away from my desk. I would have voted no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Steve Toth: "When Record No. 1848 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Terry Canales: "When Record No. 1848 was taken, I was temporarily out of the house chamber. I would have voted yes." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Valoree Swanson: "When Record No. 1848 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Wesley Virdell: "When Record No. 1848 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Will Metcalf: "When Record No. 1848 was taken, I was temporarily out of the house chamber. I would have voted no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)