State Rep. David Martin this week announced a comprehensive plan to protect Michigan’s residents, security, and economy from foreign entities of concern.

Martin, R-Davison, said many people have concerns about the Chinese Communist Party’s growing influence in Michigan. One specific concern involves Michigan State Police using drones purchased from foreign entities, which Martin’s bill would protect against.

“The utilization of Chinese-manufactured drones by police departments is a clear threat to our security,” Martin said. “These drones, produced by a foreign entity known for its questionable data practices and potential espionage ties, present an imminent danger to sensitive information, violate privacy rights, and undermine our national and local security. We must take immediate and decisive action to eliminate this risk and make sure our law enforcement agencies are using secure, trustworthy technology to safeguard our communities effectively.”

Martin, who previously served as the manager of a virtual security firm, noted that certain products manufactured by Chinese companies are widely avoided by security experts because they are known to offer back-door access, which gives unauthorized users access to sensitive information.

Martin’s bill will prohibit state departments from using dangerous foreign technology, such as drones, as well as state contracts that could provide personal information to dangerous foreign entities. Another bill in the package addresses the same concerns with local governments.

Other parts of the plan would:

• Block prohibited apps on government devices to prevent foreign entities of concern from collecting sensitive information.
• Prohibit public bodies from entering into constraining agreements with foreign countries of concern.
• Ensure public economic incentives are not awarded to foreign entities of concern.
• Protect the personal health information of Michigan residents by ensuring health care record technology is physically maintained in the U.S. or Canada.
• Protect the safety of Michiganders by preventing entities of concern from purchasing land and surveilling military bases and other critical infrastructure.
• Ensure public schools do not accept grants conditioned upon an anti-American agenda from foreign countries of concern.

The legislation addresses dangerous entities included on the federal watch list: The People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Republic of Cuba, the Venezuelan regime of Nicolas Maduro, and the Syrian Arab Republic.

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