Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-17
CAPPER OFFERS
BILL TO LICENSE
REALTY statesmen
Measure Proposes to Set Up
Commission With Full
Governing Power.
WOULD REQUIRE BROKER
TO POST $1,000 SURETY
Proof Of Honesty, Integrity and
Competency Of Applicants Are
Among StipulationS.

Establishment of commission to L.
cense all real estate brokers' and sales
men in Washington, with power to SITS
pend or revoke licenses. for improper or
| unfair dealing, is provided for in bill
presented to Chairman Capper of the
Senate District committee by the Wash
ington Real Estate Board and intro
duced in the Senate by Senator Capper
this afternoon.
The measure would set up board %
be known as the Real Estate Commits
sion of the District of Columbia, cola-
posed Of three real estate men selected
by the District Commissioners, to pass
on all applications for licenses and to
refuse, suspend or revoke licenses for
the various causes outlined in the bill.
To Require Bond.
The procedure for obtaining license
would require the applicant to give o
history of his previous business connec-
tions and also makes compulsory the
posting of a bond and the Endorsement
of two property owners.
The commission would be empowered
to revoke a license where the Hcensee
is found to be guilty Of any Of the fol-
lowing:
Making any substantial misrepre-
sentation, making any false promises Of
a character likely to influence, persuade
or induce; pursuing a continued and
fragrant course of Misrepresentation or
making of false promises through agents
or statesmen or advertising or otherwise;
acting for more than one party in
transaction without the knowledge OF
all parties for whom he acts; accepting
commission or valuable consideration
as a real estate salesman for the per-
Torrance of any of the acts specified in
this act, from any person. except his
employer, who must be licensed real
estate broker; representing or attempt
ing to represent real estate broker
other than the employer without the
express knowledge and consent of the
employer; failing, within a reasonable
time, to account for or to remit any
moneys coming into his posSessiCS
which belong to others; being unworthy
or incompetent to act as real estate
broker or salesman in such manner as
to safeguard the interests of the public;
paying commission or valuable con-
sheraton to any person for acts or
services performed in violation of this
act or any other conduct, whether OF
the same or a different character from
that hereinbefore specified, which con-
stitutes improper, fraudulent or dis
honest dealing
Public Hearing Proviso.
Provision Is made in the bill for
public hearing whenever the commits
sion is considering the refusal, sus-
pension or revocation of license. AT
such a hearing the applicant could be
represented by counsel and call wit
neSSeS.
The measure is so drafted that the
expense of the newly created commits
sion could not exceed the amount OF
money collected by the commission In
license fees, which would be fixed at
$40 year for brokers and S. annually
for statesmen.
One section of the bill makes 1t an
offense for any one to undertake 10
act as a real estate broker or salesman
without licenses and provides a pen
atty Of $500 for any violation OF THIS
provision. =,
Every application for license would
have to be accompanied by a 600
bond, running to the District OF
Columbia, executed by two good ana
sufficient sureties" The bond Is to be
in form approved by the commission,
and condition that the applicant shall
conduct his business in accordance WIN
the requirements of the law, and for
his failure so to do any person aggrieved
thereby shall have, in addition TO MS
right of action against the principal
thereon, q right to bring suit against
the surety on said bond either alone or
jointly with the principal thereon, ana
to recover in an amount not exceeding
the penalty of the bond any damages
sustained by reason of any act, repre-
sensations, transaction or conduct OF the
principal which may be prohibited by
this measure, or enumerated as one OF
the causes for suspension or revocation
of a license granted hereunder.
Would Test Honesty.
The bill further recites that the COM
mission. with due regard to the para
mount interests of the public, may re-
quire such other proof as shall be
deemed desirable as to the honesty,
truthfulness, integrity, reputation and
competency of the applicant for a
license. The commission would have
power to make reasonable rules and
regulations to govern the issuance OF
licenses.
Pocket cards would be issued by the
commission to all licensed brokers and
statesmen. Detailed provision also is
made in the bill for the procedure to be
followed in licensing nonresident
brokers'
The commission would be directed to
publish at least once a year list of all
licenses granted and of all licenses sus-
pended or revoked. One of these lists
would be filed with the clerk of the Dis
trict Supreme Court as a public record.
Twenty-Five States have real estate
license laws already, and, while they
vary in administrative character, most
Of them are predicated on the basic
principles of the model law recon-
mended by the National Association OF
Peal Estate Boards