The West Virginia Senate Government Organization Committee on a voice vote agreed to report Senate Bill 747 to the full Senate with a recommendation that it do pass and first be referred to the Committee on Finance. The bill was introduced by committee counsel as a governor's bill and described as an amendment to a single section of code relating to the Real Estate Commission.

The bill would create an exception to the current residency-place-of-business requirement by providing that a West Virginia-licensed, nonresident real estate broker who maintains a physical place of business in his or her state of residence cannot be required to maintain a place of business in West Virginia. Committee counsel told members the measure is in part a response to multi-state litigation challenging residency requirements as unconstitutional. Committee counsel said Carrie Ferro, executive director of the Real Estate Commission, was present to answer any in-depth questions.

Committee members asked no follow-up technical questions and the vice chair moved that the bill be reported to the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass, under its original double committee reference to Finance. The motion carried by voice vote; the chair announced, "the ayes have it." No amendments were offered during the committee discussion.

Because the transcript records only a voice vote, the committee's action is recorded as a committee recommendation to the full Senate with a secondary referral to Finance, not as final passage of law. The bill was noted in the committee record as having a second reference to Finance.

No fiscal note or specific budgetary figures were discussed on the record during this committee session. Carrie Ferro was identified by counsel as available for questions but did not deliver additional testimony in the transcripted portion.