VAR Brokers Digest

State budget in focus as REALTOR® agenda advances

Partisan divides, unusual in recent years for the Senate of Virginia, and driven by philosophical differences between Democrats and Republicans, have now set in. At the same time, Senate and House budget negotiators are preparing to meet in coming days.

The budget negotiators, tasked with negotiating the state's biennial budget, are a bipartisan group of four or five senior members from each chamber. Members of the conference committee are appointed by the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the Speaker of the House.

In its version of the budget, the Senate, back in the hands of Democrats after a dozen years, passed a gas tax increase, pre-kindergarten expansion (pushed by Governor Kaine) and a $420 million drawdown from the $1.3 billion rainy-day fund. The House, still controlled by Republicans, did not increase the gas tax, removed Mr. Kaine's pre-kindergarten initiative and advocated a $225 million withdrawal from the rainy-day fund in their budget bill.

Other than the budget, the two chambers have found few issues to disagree on. Still to be decided are possible curbs on payday lending, a proposed homestead-tax exemption for homeowners, billion-dollar-plus bond issues and the details of a measure to refund abusive driver fees.

VAR advances REALTOR® legislative agenda

The REALTOR® agenda has all but passed the Senate and the House. While three measures remain in the House or Senate, VAR lobbyists will now turn their attention to working with Governor Kaine to ensure his approval of the measures.

Here's the latest on your VAR legislative agenda:

HB 221, the civil immunity bill for mold claims, which passed the Senate Courts Committee, passed the Senate 40-0. The bill now goes to Governor Kaine for final approval.

HB 445, the overcrowding bill, passed the Senate Local Government Committee and awaits final passage in the full Senate.

SB 158, the Automated Valuation Model bill, passed the House of Delegates 99-0.

HB 1078, the vested rights bill, passed the Senate Local Government Committee and now awaits passage on the Senate floor.

HB 1114, the firm management bill, passed the Senate General Laws and Technology Committee and is now before the full Senate.

HB 720, the landlord-tenant act bill, passed the Senate General Laws Committee and now awaits passage by the full Senate.

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

HB 1397, clarifying disclosure requirements, will be heard by the Senate General Laws and Technology Committee on Wednesday afternoon.

HB 1098, the Wet Settlement Act bill, will be heard this afternoon by the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee.

Proffer reform bill likely headed for study

SB 768, which significantly reforms the cash proffer system and implements statewide impact fee authority passed the Senate on a razor thin margin of 21-19 last week and is now before the House of Delegates.

SB 768 is presently in the House Rules Committee under the watchful eye of the Speaker of the House William J. Howell (R-Stafford). We believe this move marks the House leadership's plan to have the bill studied over the interim.

VAR lobbyists anticipate that the House Rules Committee will make its final decision on the measure tomorrow.

Meanwhile, VAR has 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

In meetings late last week, negotiations seemed to break down between the interested parties, but we are at a time in the session when events transpire very quickly. Capitol Connections will keep you updated on the latest developments.

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.