Alabama has 10 Alabama REALTORS® on the National Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors who represent and make decisions on behalf of all REALTORS® from across the country.  Below is a summary of the first NAR Mid-Year Legislative Board of Directors Virtual Meeting held May 15, 2020. 
 

1. NAR CEO Bob Goldberg Leads with Quote from Rocker Frank Zappa: “Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.”  The NAR Mid-Year Legislative Meetings undoubtedly deviated from the norm, but the progress highly surpassed expectations. Over 28,000 members registered for this year’s virtual meeting, which more than doubles the average 9,000 to 10,000 members who typically attend in person.
2. NAR 2021 Dues. The NAR Board of Directors approved the Finance Committee’s recommendation for 2021 dues to remain at $150 per member. The Board approved that a membership figure of 1,300,000 serve as the basis for dues revenue in the 2021 budget.  Current membership is over 1.37 million. 
3. Brokers Can Access Their Own MLS Data. The Board approved a new policy to establish the right of MLS participants to receive a data feed of their own listing information, which reads: A Multiple Listing Service must, upon request, promptly provide an MLS Participant (or the Participant's designee) a data feed containing, at minimum, all active MLS listing content input into the MLS by or on behalf of the Participant and all of the Participant's off-market listing content available in the MLS system. The delivery charges for the Participant's listing content shall be reasonably related to the actual costs incurred by the MLS. The data feed must be in compliance with the RESO Standards as provided for in MLS Policy Statement 7.90.
   
   Note: MLSs will not limit the use of the Participant's listing content by the Participant or the Participant's designee.
4. Recommendation in Change of Jurisdiction Procedures. The Board approved amendments to the procedure for processing an application for change of jurisdiction affecting jurisdiction of an existing association of REALTORS®. This change addresses concerns raised by local associations and aim to aid panelists in their deliberations while ensuring that all participating associations have full and fair due process hearings.
5. Federal Homeownership Tax Credit. The Board of Directors approved a policy that provides an incentive to purchase and own a primary residence through a tax credit for households that no longer itemize deductions and thus currently receive no assistance through the federal tax system to become or remain homeowners. Ideally, the tax credit provides a higher benefit in the first year and would recognize geographic housing cost differences.
6. Other approved changes include:
   The Board approved the consent agenda, which included approval of REALTOR® Emeritus Candidates Gary W. Kelley of Shoals Area Association of REALTORS®, Mark Moody of Morgan County Association of REALTORS®, and Larry F. Perreault of Huntsville Area Association of REALTORS®.
   
   NAR Elected 2021 Treasurer Nancy Lane (Brandon, MS).