PA Senate Bill 1364

[Joe Farsetta]

No so here in NY, Joe.

The "opposition" was another two well known HI associations, plus a state HI association. They were met by myself and Dan Osborne. No money. No volunteering. No lobbiests. The others has lobbiests and were fnded. We were not. We didnt have a proposed bill, not a position statement.

We spoke calmly and plainly. We scored huge points. The proposed bill was scrapped. It was sponsored by powerful people, in the right political parties (diffferent on both sides, by the way), in both houses.

Dont think that grass roots cant defeat bad legislation. It can. even without a strategic plan...

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by gromicko

I just set it up for this January. I'll have more on it soon.

I can hear the wheels of the cannons rolling into place.....

[John Bowman]

Originally Posted by jbushart

I can hear the wheels of the cannons rolling into place.....

They better get rolling pretty fast, the PA Senate is in session now and I just heard (not confirmed) that the writers of the bill have placed it on the fast track in attempts to get it passed before they break. If successful January will be to late...

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by jbowman

They better get rolling pretty fast, the PA Senate is in session now and I just heard (not confirmed) that the writers of the bill have placed it on the fast track in attempts to get it passed before they break. If successful January will be to late...

Did Mr. Hagerty get out-PHIC'd again? How come it is just now coming to light?

[John Bowman]

Originally Posted by jbushart

Did Mr. Hagerty get out-PHIC'd again? How come it is just now coming to light?

Are you asking legitimate questions or making off-handed statements?

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by jbowman

Are you asking legitimate questions or making off-handed statements?

Both, I guess. Sorry.

Who, besides PHIC, is involved in PA legislation development and monitoring? Are there any NACHI members who involve themselves in the process, proactively? I assumed (wrongfully) that our past president would have some role in that.

[John Bowman]

Originally Posted by jbushart

Both, I guess. Sorry.

Who, besides PHIC, is involved in PA legislation development and monitoring? Are there any NACHI members who involve themselves in the process, proactively? I assumed (wrongfully) that our past president would have some role in that.

Our past president is well versed on the PA legislation developments. In addition there are several proactive individuals. Some with NACHI, some not.

ASHI is currently running an email blitz utilizing their Pennsylvania membership. Somewhere on their site (buried, I can't find it) they have a form letter they are suggesting that all of their Pennsylvania members send to PA State Legislators. The letter (actually email) is all pre-addressed and written for them. Simply fill in the blanks and submit.

This legislation has been placed on a "fast track", so I would encourage Pennsylvania members to get their voices heard now, not in January.

To be more specific in answering your question, Jim. Obviously PHIC is behind this. ASHI has not come out in support, but is providing the mass email program, and of course the EPBHI or "NHIE gang" needs licensing to exist. I promised a letter in an earlier post concerning ASHI and EPBHI. I'll be back in a few minutes to post it.

[John Bowman]

OK, I'm back. First of all, for NACHI members that would like this letter emailed to you as verification, don't hesitate to call on me. I realize that this is a dated document, but it is still valid today.

MEMORANDUM

TO: ASHI Board of Directors; ASHI Legislative Committee

FROM: EBPHI Board of Directors

RE: State Regulation of Home Inspectors

DATE: March 27, 2000

At our March 24, 2000 Board of Directors meeting, we approved a motion to present the following statement to you in regard to state regulation of home inspectors:

The Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors supports state regulation of home inspectors that provides at a minimum, a psychometrically valid and defensible test such as the National Home Inspector Exam and a consensus based, publicly developed set of professional standards and code of ethics such as the ones followed by the American Society of Home Inspectors.

The Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors also supports the nationwide promotion of the verification, certification and regulation of all professiona home inspectors and encourages the American Society of Home Inspectors to actively pursue all states to disseminate this position.

This position is intended to influence your discussions on the state regulation of home inspectors. The EBPHI would prefer to work in conjunction with ASHI in the pursuit of meaningful home inspector regulation that includes the minimum identified in its position. The inclusion of the NHIE in all state regulation will certainly be a benefit to both ASHI and the EBPHI, but more importantly, it will create a more consistent measurement of a home inspector's qualification throughout the states.

We strongly encourage open dialogue between out organizations on this crucial issue. Please let us know how we can assist you in your efforts.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Written by Gerry Loesch in St. Louis

End of Memorandum

In my next post I will post a Facts About EBPHI & NHIE that was forwarded to me.

[John Bowman]

Part II -- FACTS ABOUT EBPHI & NHIE

• EBPHI (Educational Board of Professional Home Inspectors) was formed by ASHI's Officers and Board of Directors as the answer to states like Wisconsin or Alabama that were considering licensure and NEEDED a Test but OBJECTED to using ASHI's Test, due to issues like NAHI or the North/South concerns, etc. They needed a VEHICLE that could be a "3rd Party Group - Not Associated With Any Inspection Group!"
• ASHI set up EBPHI and took 7 ASHI Members (2 were Ex-ASHI national Presidents) and made them the EBPHI Board of Directors. That BOD then chose 2 public members (a writer and an attorney from Washington, D.C.).
• ASHI then took their Assistant Administrative Officer (Noel Zak) and named her the Executive Officer of the EBPHI group.
• ASHI then rented EBPHI the 2nd floor office at ASHI Headquarters in Des Plaines, Illinois for the sum of $500 per month.
• EBPHI uses the ASHI Staff for secretarial and other services and supposedly reimburses ASHI about $12,000 per year for these services.
• ASHI spent between $125,000 - $200,000 to develop their new, improved and "Psychometrically Evaluated Test" - taking the money out of ASHI Members Dues Dollars. Then once it was all done they gav it away to the EBPHI and instead of calling it the ASHI Test as they had for 20 years its new name was the NHIE (National Home Inspectors Exam).
• EBPHI is in the hole big time to ASHI and it keeps growing every quarter (their debt has grown to about $180,000 up from $120,00 in the past 18 months). Makes you wonder how that can happen if they're not associated with ASHI in any way. *See note below.
• As of December of 2003 the EBPHI Board consisted of:
  • Bill Richardson - ASHI Education Committee Chair from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
  • Pat Casey - Past ASHI National President from Omaha, Nebraska.
  • Gerry Loesch - Past ASHI National President from St. Louis, Missouri.
  • John Palczuk - Past ASHI National President from Raleigh, North Carolina.
  • J.D. Grewal - ASHI Membership Committee Chair from Silver Springs, Maryland
  • XX - Someone in ASHI from out in California.
  • Bill Young - A writer for Non Profit Corporations out of Washington, D.C.
  • George Huckabee - Attorney from the Mid/Upper East Coast.
  • Noel Zak - Executive Officer.
• Test rental revenues are supposedly EBPHI's only source of Income. If that is true, then:
  • Who pays for Noel Zaks Salary - Reported to be $65,000 - $70,000 per year?
  • How do they pay for Noel Zaks trips and Booth Space at ASHI Conventions; ITA Conventions; Chapter Seminars; and for NAR and Legislator Related Conventions, etc.?
  • How do they pay for EBPHI's Office Rent, Utilities, Phone, Fax, Email, etc?
  • Who pays for the web site; the handouts; the printing costs, for legislative position papers, etc. that EBPHI sends to news media, Realtors, Legislators.
• In ASHI's BOD minutes and financial sheets in January this past year, they reported that somewhere between 660 and 700 people had taken the ASHI "Standards of Practice" Test in the past 12 months. They stated the Testing Agency gives ASHI $30.00 for each test taken. That's between $19,800 to $21,000 from ASHI's own "Standards Test. The Testing Agency pays EBPHI either $65 or $70 per test for the NHIE. How many NHIE tests would have to be taken to pay EBPHI the minimum $145,000 to $175,000 to break even?

* At the July 2004 ASHI BOD Meeting the Balance Sheet for the American Society of Home Inspectors for May 2004 showed EBPHI's debt to ASHI as $165,382.

[jmichalski]

Originally Posted by jfarsetta

No so here in NY, Joe.

The "opposition" was another two well known HI associations, plus a state HI association. They were met by myself and Dan Osborne. No money. No volunteering. No lobbiests. The others has lobbiests and were fnded. We were not. We didnt have a proposed bill, not a position statement.

We spoke calmly and plainly. We scored huge points. The proposed bill was scrapped. It was sponsored by powerful people, in the right political parties (diffferent on both sides, by the way), in both houses.

Dont think that grass roots cant defeat bad legislation. It can. even without a strategic plan...

Indeed it can, if the grassroots are from the politicians district - not exterior forces setting up meetings. It is also far less successful, and with far less frequency than you indicate.

Grassroots campaigns are effective almost exclusively where significant numbers of voters in an elected official's district speak with a single voice about a single specific issue or piece of legislation.

See John B's post on how ASHI is doing it - that is an effective and useful grass roots campaign with a purpose.

As far as I am aware, Joe H alerted us to the issue with this post...I thank him for that.

[jmichalski]

John -

I think I will be calling my Rep and Senator's office on Monday to express concerns with areas of the bill that I do not favor.

I think that this would be a more effective campaign if we had some leadership from on top (not likely since nick is in favor of the bill). I do not share others concerns about licensing, but I understand them and think that the most effective campaign would be a counter e-mail blitz providing nachi members with their rep's and senator's phone numbers and addresses and a bullet point sheet of objections to the bill's provisions (talking points).

Some campaigns have sent Western Union style telegrams from tehir members (with express permission from each member) to the reps. This is an "astroturf" camapign that appears less sincere and is far less effective (if you send a form letter, you can expect a form letter response).

Live calls, from members to Reps, faciliated by a central point is a highly effective and personalized way to make a point and get a reaction. (this method alone helped home schoolers get provisions stripped from Federal education bills almost overnight - they were active, sincere, live indicviduals, and all members of the rep's district....LOTS of them).

It is just a suggestion - take it for what it is worth.

Also, if it is of any help, my experiences in legislative offices have taught me that there is never a point that is "too late" to start a good phone call campaign from members to their reps - at least not until the bell rings on the first vote on the bill (and even then there is hope, but it is far more difficult).

If it is important to nachi and PA members to have a say and defeat or alter the language of the bill - an aggressive, well-coordinated campaign from a well-informed membership is needed.

[jmichalski]

Originally Posted by jbushart

I can hear the wheels of the cannons rolling into place.....

Its a shame no one fights battles with cannons anymore....

They better get rolling pretty fast, the PA Senate is in session now and I just heard (not confirmed) that the writers of the bill have placed it on the fast track in attempts to get it passed before they break. If successful January will be to late...

Guess that's why....

[jmichalski]

Incidentally, Stweart Greenleaf is the Senator for much of Bucks and Montgomery counties - Northeast suburbs of Philly. Also the home of many prominent PHIC members and leaders (not surprisingly).

I think it would be a stretch to imagine that the sponsoring member hailing from such a district is mere coincidence. PHIC has probably already met with these Senators many times and have a large head start in this effort.

[Joseph Hagarty, CMI]

Originally Posted by jbushart

Did Mr. Hagerty get out-PHIC'd again? How come it is just now coming to light?

Jim,

Amendment was introduced on October 13, 2006.

I posted the link on October 25th after researching it for a few days.

It did not just come to light. It is being monitored on a continual basis.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by jhagarty

Jim,

Amendment was introduced on October 13, 2006.

I posted the link on October 25th after researching it for a few days.

It did not just come to light. It is being monitored on a continual basis.

Joe,

I apologize for assuming too much.

Without going public with anything that may be happening behind-the-scenes to counter these measures, is there a plan in motion or will this meeting scheduled for January be the first these sponsors will have heard of any opposition to their measure?