WSR 97-18-068

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING

[Filed September 2, 1997, 2:50 p.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Licensing procedures for real estate companies operating as limited liability companies or limited liability partnerships, correcting masculine gender reference and repealing program administrative rule which conflicts with Washington Public Records Act.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 18.85.010(4), 18.85.040, 18.85.120, 18.85.130, 18.85.140, 18.85.150, and 18.85.170.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: To implement changes to program administrative rules necessitated by passage of SSB 5267 by the 1997 legislature. This agency request legislation provides for limited liability companies and limited liability partnerships to operate as licensed real estate brokerage companies in Washington. Correct masculine gender reference in WAC 308-124F-030 to gender neutral. Eliminate confusion regarding the type of organizations that are permitted to obtain printed lists of licensees by repealing program administrative rules addressing this issue and relying upon the provisions of the Washington Public Records Act codified as RCW 42.17.260(9).

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.

Process for Developing New Rule: Agency study; and Real Estate Commission discussions, written comments, presentations to stakeholder groups and other.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. Interested persons may participate in discussions at regularly scheduled commission meetings. The Washington Association of Realtors Annual Conference and other scheduled industry stakeholder sessions. Written input may be mailed or faxed to Robert S. Mitchell, Real Estate Program Manager, P.O. Box 9015, Olympia, WA 98507-9015, FAX (360) 586-0998, phone (360) 586-6102.

August 29, 1997

Robert S. Mitchell