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Committee hears competing views on bill to bar mandatory trade-association membership for MLS access
Summary
House Bill 2438 would prohibit requiring real estate licensees to join a trade association to participate in a multiple listing service (MLS). Proponents said mandatory membership and fees block new entrants and raise costs; MLS operators and realtor organizations opposed, saying the bill would harm consumer protections and local choice.
The House Committee on Housing and Homelessness heard extended testimony Feb. 5 on House Bill 2438, which would prohibit real estate brokers and agents from being required to join a trade association to obtain access to a multiple listing service (MLS).
Representative Dwayne Juncker, sponsor of the bill, told the committee that current practice forces licensees to pay multiple association dues and MLS fees to access the database brokers use to list and find properties. "New real estate professionals struggle to afford mandated trade association fees," he said, and allowing alternatives would reduce barriers to entry.
Multiple witnesses presented sharply contrasting views. Chris Barnett, a principal broker and owner of Realty Executives in Southern Oregon, testified in support and described the fees as a barrier for new licensees and a source of…
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