By: Jennifer Kingland, IAR Lobbyist
The Legislature convenes on January 14 and legislators are paid for 110 days of per diem which ends May 3. There are many issues already on the docket for the legislators such as, water quality, sports betting and property tax reform. The IAR Legislative Committee held a meeting in early October to discuss potential legislative issues the IAR may deal with during the 2019 legislative session.
Electronic notarization legislation
Several states are considering legislation that will allow for the remote electronic notarization of documents including those documents used in real estate closings. E-notarization is a process that allows a certified public notary to use video technology to interact with parties to a real estate transaction and record the notarization process remotely, as opposed to a face to face interaction. The National Association of REALTORS and IAR support and will be engaged in the discussions surrounding legislation on this issue in 2019.
Fees for recording documents
The County Recorders will be charging a fee for the recording of the Groundwater Hazard Statement starting July 1, 2019. The IAR legislative committee will discuss these changes and what, if any, changes need to be made legislatively to the filing of this document.
Rental caps on property
Some Iowa communities have passed ordinances which limit a real property owners ability to rent property by enforcing rental cap limits for certain areas. The IAR supports private property rights and will actively work with landlord associations on legislation to prevent these local ordinances.
Service animal legislation
IAR will support and work on clarification and definitions for service animals in rentals.
Rural workforce housing
IAR will work with others to continue discussions on the need for rural workforce housing and how to best address these issues.
Liability for REALTORS on disclosures and statute of limitations
IAR is looking at legislation that will limit a real estate licensee’s liability for sellers disclosure documents, and also lowering the statute of limitations on real estate documents.
Real estate teams
IAR will research legislation from other states regarding real estate teams and how they are licensed.
Appraisers
IAR will work with other interested parties to address concerns with the shortage of appraisers in rural areas.