Evening star., 1934-05-12
REAL ESTATE BILL
ACTION IS HAILED
Rush Confident House Will
Follow Senate in Approx
ing Measure.
(Continued From First Page.)


and District legislation before it is
voted upon in the House, but Charles
j. Rush, executive secretary of the
Realty Board, was optimistic that his
organizations efforts would be crowned
with success this time. However, Mr.
Rush has several times in the past
witnessed the passage of the bill in
one House Cnly to see it lost in the
other.
The legislation was introduced into
the Senate several months ago by
Senator King of Utah, chairman of
the District Committee. 1t provides
for committee of three to constitute
Real Estate Commission to protect
the public against fraud in real estate
transactions 1t would become effec-
tive 80 days after enactment. 1t
reads:
That on and after 90 days from
the date of enactment of this act it
shall be unlawful in the District OF
Columbia for any person, firm, part
nership, copartnerShip, association or
corporation to act as real estate
broker or real estate salesman, or to
advertise or assume to act as such,
without a license issued by the Real
Estate Commission Of the District of
Columbia"
The act defines real estate brokers
as any persons, firm, association,
partnership or corporation, who, for
another and for a fec, commission
or other valuable consideration, lists
for sale, sells. exchanges, buys, rents
or leases or offers to negotiate a sale,
exchange. purchase, lease or rental
OF an estate or interest in real estate,
or collects or offers or attempts to
collect rent or income for the use of
real estate or negotiateS or offers or
attempts to negotiate, loan secured
or to be secured by mortgage, deed
of trust. or other incumbrance upon
or transfer of real estate: Provided,
however, that this definition shall not
apply to the sale of space for adver-
tising of real estate in any newspaper,
magazine or other publication"
Collectors Exempted.
Then follows a definition of "sales-
man" The act states that persons
employed by a licensed broker in
clerical capacity. as collectors, or in
similar subordinate and administrative
positions, shall not be required to OBJ
tain licenses. The commission is given
power to make rules and regulations
governing this exception.
1t is stated that the provisions of
the act shall not apply to receivers,
referees, administrators, executors,
guardians or other persons appointed
or acting under the judgment or order
of any court.
Two members of the commission
would be appointed by the District
Commissioners within 80 days after
enactment of the act, not more than
one of whom shall have been actively
engaged in or connected with real es-
tate business within five years prior
to the appointment. The third men,
her of the board would be the as
SCISSOR of the District, who would serve
without added compensation. One
member would be appointed for year,
with the other appointee to serve
two years. Afterward the term of
Office would be three years, with the
Commissioners empowered to remove
the members at any time for cause.
Compensation for the appointed men,
berS is fixed at SIS for each day de-
voted to work of the commission.
Requirements Stringent.
Stringent requirements are provided
for in the bill for applicants for lie
enseS. In addition those who apply
for brokers licenses must include
bond of $4,000, while in the case of
statesmen the bond is fixed at $4,000.
The brokers' fee and annual renewal
is set at SIS, with a cost of license
to salemen fixed at S., to be renewed
annually.
Before the commission can deny,
suspend or revoke license, the mat
ter must be set down for public hear
ing, and the person concerned must
be notified of the charges made at
least 10 days before the date of
hearing.
The act provides as penalty for vio-
lation of any provision of the act
fine not to exceed $500 or imprison-
ment for not more than six months,
or both, for person, while corpora
ton may be fined a maximum of
$1,000 Prosecutions for violation of
the act would begin in Police Court
and would be under direction of the
corporation counsel.
When the bill was brought up
Thursday, Senator King said:
There have been brought to the