Pennsylvania Legislature Heads into Budget Season

The 2024 budget season is officially heating up as we approach June. The Pennsylvania Constitution requires the state legislature and governor to approve a budget for the upcoming fiscal year by June 30 of each year, making the month of June an intensive few weeks of legislative activity.

The Pennsylvania Association of Realtors® will be especially active with our advocacy efforts during this time as several key pieces of legislation are in the mix during budget season.

Senate Bill 1173 (Stefano, R-Fayette), legislation addressing residential wholesaling in Pennsylvania, was introduced in late April and quickly moved through the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure and Appropriation Committees.

SB 1173 amends the Real Estate Licensing and Registration Act (RELRA) to define a “wholesale transaction” and requires those who conduct these transactions to obtain a real estate salesperson license. The legislation also requires specific disclosures in wholesale transactions. The bill now awaits final consideration by the full Senate before moving to the House of Representatives.

SB 1173 is a key priority for PAR and we anticipate its final passage out of the Senate during budget season. This legislation also will be the main focus of the 2024 PA Realtor® Day on the Hill on June 5, where more than 225 Realtors® will be in the Capitol advocating for the real estate industry and consumers.

A second key priority is also in the mix during budget season – House Bill 1567 (Malagari, D-Montgomery) amends the Municipal Code and Ordinance Compliance Act to address questions regarding the application of the act to tenant-occupied properties and to make a clarification.

PAR is strongly advocating for its approval because it is a commonsense approach to ensure that property transfers are not arbitrarily stopped by municipalities or result in the displacement of renters from properties that are changing ownership. You can learn more about this issue on PAR’s website.

HB 1567 previously passed the House of Representatives in the fall of 2023, and it was unanimously approved by the Senate Urban Affairs Committee in April. It now awaits final consideration by the Senate.

As this busy season continues to heat up, we encourage all Realtors® to watch for updates on our key priorities. One of the simplest ways for members to get involved is by participating in a PAR Call-to-Action. PAR utilizes this grassroots tool to help send a strong message about critical issues.

When PAR issues a Call-to-Action, members will receive an email explaining the issue and they’re asked to respond and send a message to their legislator. The online system automatically provides a message and links members with their state Senate and/or House elected officials. In as little as two minutes, a member can participate in our advocacy efforts and notify their elected officials about a key real estate issue.

Because PAR has several key issues in the mix, you may see a Call-to-Action email come into your inbox, and I would strongly encourage you to learn about the issue and to take action.

You can also stay up to date on all of PAR’s legislative advocacy issues on our website.