A Republican-sponsored bill that banned any Chinese “agent” from purchasing farmland or land near military installations passed the Georgia House of Representatives on Thursday. The vote was 97-67 along party lines.

Republican representatives have argued the bill will help further national security. They claimed that land owned by people affiliated with China could pose a threat to the nation’s food security as tensions between the United States and China rise. Republican lawmakers also said that Chinese spies could purchase land next to military installations and convey information back to Beijing.

Democrats raised concerns that the bill will lead to more discrimination against Asian Americans. They also alleged that the bill is motivated by racial animosity. State Representative Michelle Au, a Democrat and Chinese American, claimed that she had been accused of being an agent or spy for China because of her opposition to the bill.

The bill does not focus exclusively on China. Agents of Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Russia are also included. In order to be considered an agent, the individual has to be found to have acted on behalf of one of the listed countries. The bill excludes US citizens, legal residents and anyone who has spent at least 10 months of the previous year in Georgia.

Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, and Louisiana have all passed similar land sale laws in the past year. Florida’s law was overturned by a Federal Appeals Court because the law was likely to be preempted by a federal law.

The bill will now advance to a vote in the Georgie state Senate.