2024 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings

by | May 17, 2024 | Government Affairs, Uncategorized | 0 comments

New Mexico Focus

  • Connie Hettinga inducted into the RPAC Hall of Fame at 2024 RLM RPAC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Connie joins a prestigious group of New Mexico inductees, including Gayla Brumfield, Wes Graham, Cindy Lynch, Damon J. Maddox, Jim Maddox, Thomas Mercer, Monty D. Newman, Patricia A. Pipkin, Thomas Whatley, and Paul Wilson.
  • NMAR receives recognition as one of fourteen states to receive the 2023 RPAC President’s Cup and Triple Crown Award.
  • Cathy Colvin to join NAR President Kevin Sears’ team in 2025 as Member Engagement Liaison.

2024 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings (RLM) Recap

  • Watch a webinar debuting the results of our annual state and local policy survey and showing how they directly shaped our RLM policy priorities.
  • Read about the Federal Legislative & Political Forum featuring former members of Congress Joe Cunningham and Trey Gowdy and the Advocacy Scoop hosted by NAR Advocacy staff.
  • Hear directly from NAR members about their experiences on Capitol Hill.
  • Read the National Governors Association’s recap of Montana Governor Greg Gianforte’s address to NAR’s State & Local Issues Policy Committee on making housing more affordable and accessible.

Bipartisan Congressional Real Estate Caucus Launches

  • The Bipartisan Congressional Real Estate Caucus launched earlier this month to streamline communication between Congress and industry experts and to promote common-sense policies that boost homeownership and property rights.
  • NAR and other housing trade groups applauded Representatives Mark Alford (R-Mo.), J. Luis Correa (D-Calif.), Tracey Mann (R-Kan.), and Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.) for forming this caucus to work across the aisle to make housing more accessible.

NAR Achieves Two Major Property Rights Wins at Supreme Court

  • NAR and property owners won two decisive victories at the U.S. Supreme Court in support of property rights in the span of just a few days.
  • On April 12, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in support of property owners in Sheetz v. El Dorado County.
  • On April 16, they once again ruled unanimously in favor of property rights in DeVillier v. Texas.
  • NAR submitted amicus briefs in both cases.

NAR Advocates for Veterans’ Access to Professional Representation

  • NAR continues to advocate for a Department of Veterans Affairs rule change to allow veteran buyers to compensate their professional representative directly.
  • Leading up to RLM, NAR Advocacy staff met with approximately 20 members of Congress, including the chairs and ranking members of the veterans committees in both chambers, and briefed committee senior staff.
  • The team also met with several industry partners and veterans service organizations to build support around the issue.
  • At RLM, thousands of NAR members again took the issue to Capitol Hill, advocating with their members of Congress on the importance of ensuring veterans can compete in the market and maintain access to professional representation.

NEW: NAR Introduces Advocacy Scoop Podcast

  • NAR has turned one of our most popular conference sessions into a new monthly podcast hosted by Chief Advocacy Officer Shannon McGahn and Director of Advocacy Communications Patrick Newton.
  • Now you can stay up to date on what’s happening in Washington, D.C., and around the country, while on the go!
  • The Advocacy Scoop is dedicated to peeling back the curtain on the advocacy operation of the world’s largest trade association. Listeners will walk away with a better understanding of how NAR advocacy works, its many successes, and how the advocacy team is faring on some of NAR’s biggest legislative fights. Listen and subscribe where you get your podcasts.

NAR Board of Directors Meeting Recap

  • DUES: At its May 9 meeting, the National Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors voted to keep NAR dues at $156 per member for 2025.
  • MEMBERSHIP: In a report from NAR Treasurer Greg Hrabcak, directors learned that as of April 30, “membership is tracking favorably to plan and increasing each month.”
  • PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS: Directors approved three recommendations from the Professional Standards Committee, an amendment to Article 4 of the Code of Ethics and new Standards of Practice 4-1 and 4-2—designed to ensure the Code provides further clarity on conflicts of interest and protects buyers, sellers, lessors and lessees. The amendments will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025, if they are approved by the NAR Delegate Body in November.
  • 2025 LEADERSHIP: Via consent decree, directors elected the 2025 Regional Vice Presidents and the following 2025 Leadership Team members:
    • Kevin Brown, Oakland, Calif., President-elect
    • Christine Hansen, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., First Vice President
    • Craig Sanford, Phoenix, Treasurer (2025-26)
    • NAR President Kevin Sears remains President in 2025. His 2025 vice president appointees are Jennifer Branchini, Pleasanton, Calif., Vice President of Association Affairs, and Sara Lipnitz, Birmingham, Mich., Vice President of Advocacy. At the meeting, the 2025 Liaisons were announced, along with the REALTOR® Party Director.

See the full report HERE.

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