Realtors follow proposed state bills

The 79th regular session of the Nevada Legislature started just over a month ago, and Nevada Realtors have been reviewing all bills that could have an impact on your property rights, your ability to conduct real estate transactions and the overall quality of life for our residents.

Several pieces of legislation are of interest to Realtors, property owners and renters — with topics ranging from homeowner associations and landlord-tenant issues to property taxes and community safety.

Several bills on landlord-tenant relationships are expected each session, and 2017 is no different. Realtors are always mindful of tenants’ rights, as well as the preservation and protection of property values and property rights.

For example, AB133, introduced by Assemblyman Elliot Anderson, would clarify that a request for emergency assistance by a tenant does not constitute a nuisance for purposes of civil or criminal law. It would also prohibit a local government from taking adverse action against a landlord and a landlord from taking adverse action against a tenant based on the request of a tenant for emergency assistance.

Another example of a landlord-tenant proposal is AB247, introduced by Assemblyman Steve Yeager. That bill fine-tunes a law passed back in 2013 that allows victims of domestic violence to terminate a lease early, provided the victim presents a police report, protection order or an affidavit from a qualified third party.

The measure proposed by Yeager would extend this ability to victims of harassment, sexual assault and stalking while narrowing the definition of “qualified third party.”

Realtors also pay attention to potential expansion to local governments’ powers, like AB8. This bill, with the proposed amendment, would allow cities to add delinquent sewage, storm drainage or water services to the tax rolls if the city provides those services.

This language would be the same as the authority granted to counties under current law. Nevada Realtors support SB33, a bill introduced on behalf of the Governor’s Office that would prevent a mortgage servicer from conducting a foreclosure if the borrower is a military service member and is on active duty or deployment, and for a period of one year after the end of the active duty or deployment. This bill closely mirrors current federal law.

Realtors also wanted to make sure this bill would prohibit homeowners association lien foreclosures under the same circumstances. The Governor’s Office was supportive of the concept and presented a proposed amendment at a Senate Judiciary hearing.

In addition, Nevada Realtors continue the work from last session in efforts to curb the squatters problem across the state. Assemblyman Edgar Flores introduced AB161 in an effort to ensure that a lease presented to a local authority is a legal lease.

This bill would require that any written rental agreement for a single-family residence be notarized. Nevada Realtors believe this would have no effect whatsoever on the problem, as notarization only ensures the persons who are signing are indeed the persons they say they are. Notaries have no way of making sure that the names on the rental agreements are the legal owners of the property — nor would it be within their purview.

Those are just a few examples of issues that Realtors are watching on behalf of all residents.

In the end, Nevada Realtors want to make our state and the communities within it continue to be the best place to live, work and play and to ensure a better quality of life for all.

GLVAR was founded in 1947 and provides its nearly 13,000 local members with education, training and political representation. The local representative of the National Association of Realtors, GLVAR is the largest professional organization in Southern Nevada. For more information, visit LasVegasRealtor.com. Email your real estate questions to communications@glvar.org.