The
CAA Legislative Pulse is a monthly newsletter designed to keep Charleston
Apartment Association members abreast of topical political news impacting the
industry. The CAA Legislative Pulse is released to members the fourth
Tuesday of each month.
S.C. Apartment
Association Legislative Day
February 27, 2013
SC Statehouse
We encourage all CAA industry allies
to join us on this exciting day at our state's capitol. This is our
opportunity for key leaders to see and meet the faces of our industry, which
speaks volumes and resonates throughout the year as vital industry issues are
discussed. A legislative program and overview of current legislation affecting
the multi-family housing industry will begin at 9:30am followed by a luncheon
with legislators at the State House. The day will conclude by 3pm.
Registration Information: The cost is $35 per attendee (includes
registration & materials, refreshments and lunch). Registration
begins at 9am, with the meeting commencing at 9:30am. Please click
here to register.
From the National
Apartment Association
While control of the Presidency and
Congress did not change due to the 2012 campaign, the 113th Congress
welcome 83 new members to the House and 12 new members to Senate (for a
complete list of new members of Congress, go to the NAA or NMHC websites). Furthermore,
there are several key committee leadership changes in the next Congress.
First, on the House Financial
Services Committee, which has jurisdiction over all banking, finance, insurance
and affordable housing issues, Representative Jeb Hensarling (R-TX-05) will
assume the Chairmanship and Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA-35) will be the
new Ranking Member. On the Senate Banking Committee, Senator Tim Johnson
(D-SD) will continue as Chairman Senator Michael Crapo (R-ID) will be the
Ranking Member. The Ways and Means Committee, the key tax committee, will
see less change. Representative Dave Camp (R-MI-4) and Representative
Sandy Levin (D-MI-12) will remain in their positions as Chairman and Ranking
Member, respectively. Meanwhile, on the Senate Finance Committee, Senator
Max Baucus (D-MT) will remain Chairman, and Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) will
stay on as Ranking Member. Finally, the House Energy and Commerce
Committee will remain under the leadership of Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI-6) and
Ranking Member Henry Waxman (D-CA-30). Meanwhile, Senator Barbara Boxer
(D-CA) will continue her stewardship of the Environment and Public Works
Committee while Senator David Vitter (R-LA) will reportedly become the Ranking
Member.
The committees are not the only
place where new members are having an impact. On the whole, the new Congress
will be younger - 8.5 percent of the 113th Congress will be under the age
of 40 versus 4.6 percent in the 110th - and have less legislative
experience. Nearly 50 percent of the members of the next Congress
will have five or fewer years of experience on Capitol Hill. This
represents a significant challenge and opportunity for the multifamily housing
industry. That's where you come in. As apartment industry
advocates, it is our collective job to develop relationships with the new
members and enhance our existing relationships. That relationship building can
take place at home when members of Congress are in their districts or in
Washington, D.C., during the upcoming 2013 NAA Capitol
Conference (March 10-13) when apartment industry advocates will lobby
Capitol Hill directly on important issues. The critical issues
confronting Congress over the next few years, including tax and housing finance
reform, environmental and telecommunications regulations and energy mandates,
make it more crucial than ever to educate members about how decisions made in
Washington impact our industry. Please contact Kathleen Gamble at
703-797-0633 or Kathleen@naahq.org
for more.
House
and Senate Prefiled Legislation
HOUSE
Expedited Eviction Procedures
Notification of Bedbug Infestations
at Certain Hotels or Residences
Representative Wendell Gilliard
(D-Charleston) has introduced a bill which requires notice of bedbug
infestation to a transient guest of a hotel or to a person seeking temporary or
permanent residence in a charitable or emergency protective shelter under the
Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. This bill has been referred to the
House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee. Full
text: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess120_2013-2014/bills/3143.htm
SENATE
Expedited Eviction
Procedures
Senator Larry Martin (R-Pickens) has
introduced this bill in the Senate to allow for an expedited eviction process
of tenants. It has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee and is
the companion bill to H.3145. Full text: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess120_2013-2014/bills/9.htm
Increased Jurisdiction of
Magistrates to
$10,000
Senator Chip Campsen (R-Charleston)
has introduced a bill to increase the jurisdiction of Magistrates from $7,500
to $10,000 and requires that any controversy over $5,000 is subject to
mandatory mediation (except for landlord and tenant cases). This bill has
been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Full text: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess120_2013-2014/bills/47.htm
Exterior Balcony Inspections in
Certain Residential Properties
Senator Joel Lourie (D-Richland) has
introduced legislation that would require all municipalities and counties to
inspect exterior balconies in certain residential properties to ensure they
satisfy the requirements of the International Building Code. S.66 has
been referred to the Judiciary Committee. Full text: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess120_2013-2014/bills/66.htm
Increasing Magistrates'
Jurisdiction
Senator Gerald Malloy
(D-Darlington) has introduced S. 153 which would allow magistrates to hear
cases dealing with up to $15,000. Current law caps magistrates'
jurisdiction at $7,500. The bill has been referred to the Senate
Judiciary Committee. Full Text: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess120_2013-2014/bills/153.htm
