Anti-China State-Level Bills Driven by Dark

States are passing a flurry of anti-China bills that critics warn could chill free speech, create an administrative albatross for ordinary citizens, and invite politically motivated civil penalties. Though framed as efforts to curb Chinese influence, civil liberties advocates contend that the bills bear the hallmarks of modern-day McCarthyism — propelled by newly created dark-money organizations.

“There’s often a fair debate to be had over China’s influence,” said James Czerniawski, head of emerging technology policy at Consumer Choice Center. “But my bigger concern is that states are greenlighting a second Red Scare.”

Nebraska, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas have now passed sweeping state-level foreign influence registries. Nebraska’s bill, called the Foreign Adversary and Terrorist Ag