SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 60

(By Senators McCabe, Plymale, Kessler (Mr. President), Williams, Klempa, Stollings, Foster, Prezioso and Unger)

Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the West Virginia Real Estate Commission.

    Whereas, On March 13, 1937, the West Virginia Legislature passed Senate Bill 107, which established the West Virginia Real Estate Commission and which established a regulatory scheme to license and regulate the business of buying, leasing, selling and managing real estate for others; and

    Whereas, On March 5, 2002, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 453, which re-wrote the real estate license act and as part of this enactment, the Legislature declared: “As a matter of public policy, it is necessary to protect the public interest from the unauthorized, unqualified and unregulated practice of real estate brokerage through enactment of this article and to regulate the granting of such privileges and their use.”; and

    Whereas, The Commission’s duties and functions include a myriad of responsibilities, including the review of applications for license, the issuance and renewal of licenses, auditing and supervision of the curriculum and delivery of education, administering examinations required to qualify for and meet the requirements for licensure, review and audit the activities of licensees, to consider, investigate and review complaints of possible license law violations, and to determine and administer appropriate disciplinary actions for license law violations by licensees as prescribed and authorized by law; and

    Whereas, Over the years, the law regulating the conduct of real estate broker and salesperson licensees has been amended and expanded to assure it remained current and relevant; significant changes include mandatory pre-license education, which was added as a requirement of obtaining a license in 1981 and continuing education was required of all licensees beginning in 1990; and

    Whereas, The Commission employs a dedicated and competent staff who assist the Commission in carrying out its various duties and responsibilities prescribed by law; and

    Whereas, For seventy-five years the West Virginia Real Estate Commission has diligently carried out its duties and responsibilities for the regulation, oversight and supervision of the real estate brokerage profession; and

    Whereas, The service of the West Virginia Real Estate Commission, its members as well as its employees should not go unrecognized for their valuable service to ensure the protection of the citizens of this state in the conduct of real estate brokerage transactions; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Senate:

    That the Senate hereby commemorates the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the West Virginia Real Estate Commission; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Senate invites all members of the West Virginia Legislature and all citizens of West Virginia to join in recognizing the West Virginia Real Estate Commission and its role in protecting the interests of the citizens of this state in the conduct of real estate brokerage transactions; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the West Virginia Real Estate Commission.