VAR Brokers Digest

REALTORS^® from around Virginia descended on Capitol Square last week to lobby their legislators. REALTORS^® from around Virginia descended on Capitol Square last week and discussed issues with Attorney General Bob McDonnell. REALTORS^® from around Virginia descended on Capitol Square last week and listened to Governor Tim Kaine discuss the 2008 General Assembly session. Take a guess what was the issue on most minds.

If you picked the budget, you are right.

Last week marked "Crossover," the point at which the House of Delegates and Senate must complete their work on their own bills. The bills that pass their house of origin then "cross over" to the other body for further action.

While most bills were killed, carried over or passed to the opposite house, legislators have just begun dealing with the budget. As reported over the past several weeks, partisan divides have begun to steer budget considerations. Yesterday in the Senate, those divides were at their fiercest, as all Senate Republicans voted against the Senate's proposed budget for the Commonwealth. The budget passed 21-19.

Meanwhile, the House of Delegates passed its own version of the budget by a wide margin.

Now we have the vehicles (HB 30 and SB 30) that eventually will become the final budget. Both HB 30 and SB 30 incorporate recommendations from the Governor, but differ greatly in the amount of money that will be drawn from the state's "rainy day" fund. The Senate budget includes a gas-tax increase for road construction, while the House budget levies bonds to pay for transportation.

The 2008 budget talks mark a different event for REALTORS^®, as grantor and recordation taxes have been left out of budget negotiations. This is in notable contrast to 2004, and again in 2006, when your clients were targeted for additional taxes through increases in recordation taxes (2004) and a proposed grantor tax increase (2006).

While VAR lobbyists will monitor budget talks very closely, they will also be very busy through the end of the week as the REALTOR^® legislative agenda now moves towards final passage.

With just 18 days left until the scheduled adjournment, there are approximately 1,000 bills left on legislators' dockets, a $1.4 billion shortfall and two very different budgets that must be reconciled before the 2008 session is gaveled to a close.

VAR Legislative Agenda: Passing Easily

As reported last week, 8 of the 9 bills sought by REALTORS^® have passed the House of Delegates or the Senate. A quick tally shows that of the 8 bills, not one "no" vote was recorded.

Several initiatives will see action this week, as the VAR agenda moves towards final passage.

VAR bills expected to go forward by week's end include:

HB 221, the civil immunity bill for mold claims, passed the Senate Courts Committee, and then passed the full Senate by 40-0. The bill now goes to Governor Kaine for his approval.

HB 516, the POA reform bill, will be heard by the Senate General Laws Committee on Wednesday afternoon.

HB 445, the overcrowding bill, will be heard by the Senate Local Government Committee this afternoon.

HB 1078, the vested rights bill, is also expected be considered by the Senate Local Government Committee today.

SB 158, the AVM bill, will be heard by the House Commerce and Labor Committee this afternoon.

Proffer Reform Bill Update

SB 768, which significantly reforms the cash proffer system and implements statewide impact fee authority, passed the Senate on a razor-thin margin last week and now awaits action in the House of Delegates. Late last week, the Speaker of the House referred the bill to the House Rules Committee.

Capitol insiders suggest that the move marks the House leadership's plan to have the bill studied between now and the 2009 session.

VAR lobbyists have been engaged in negotiations between the Home Builders Association of Virginia and representatives of local governments including:

The Virginia Municipal League
The Virginia Association of Counties
The Coalition of High Growth Localities
Fairfax County
Prince William County
Loudoun County
Chesterfield County

REALTOR® Day on the Hill, our best showing ever

Last Wednesday, over 300 REALTORS^® came to Richmond to lobby the General Assembly.

Beginning with legislative briefings by VAR lobbyists, REALTORS^® spent the morning lobbying their legislators on behalf of VAR's legislative agenda.

REALTORS® met with most of the 140 legislators, including, the Speaker of the House of Delegates, the Majority and Minority leaders in the House, as well as the leadership in the Senate.

In the sidebar, you'll find some pictures from the day.

Thanks to all of you who attended!

Your voice is important: make sure it is heard

Respond to Calls to Action. Periodically throughout the session, you may receive e-mail alerts asking you to contact your legislators on an important REALTOR^® issue. The more members who respond, the more impact we have on getting our issues through - or keeping harmful legislation from passing.

Be a key contact. If you're on a first-name basis with a legislator, please contact Blake Hegeman (bhegeman@varealtor.com) to join our list of key contacts. As a friend of an elected official, you are one of VAR's best resources when we are trying to communicate our key messages.