(WA. Legislation) Email from Larry Stamp of the WHILAG

General Inspection Topics Legislation, Licensing, Ethics & Legal Issues
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[FONT=Arial]Hello Everybody,[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial]It appears the substitute bill is moving forward, but don’t be disheartened. After all, this is a process so we still have opportunity to act. I will try to find out more about what happens next.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial]In the mean time ASHI National sent a letter of support for WHILAG (thanks Bob Kociolek!) and after talking with NAHI, they were going to do the same. However, NACHI was another matter: I contacted Nick Gromiko and was told, and I quote, “I’m pushing 5788…. association biasless, no?”. As you might imagine, I was pretty blindsided by his comment and since “biasless” is not a real word, I am also a bit confused. I tried to get some clarification, but I guess the conversation, such as it was, is over. I hesitated to share this message because I didn’t want to precipitate some turf war with our NACHI colleagues. My guess is they’re going to be equally shocked and I suspect many will be re-evaluating their professional affiliation. I know I would. So let’s keep working together!![/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial]At this point, we need to prepare ourselves for another letter writing and calling campaign. First we need to take the time to think and we need to let our representatives in WHILAG do the same. Loose cannons and badly thought out plans reflect poorly on all of us and do nothing but set our efforts back. As I have said before, we must move forward with poise, professionalism and unity of purpose. This is also a time when we really need to start reaching out to other inspectors and bring them up to speed. Get me their name and e-mail and I will add them to this list. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial]Here’s some links from Hugh Kelso sent to me via Joanne: Thanks!![/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial]You can tune in to TVW on the internet and listen to the audio of the Senate committee meetings at this URL: http://www.tvw.org/media/liveevnts.cfm](http://www.tvw.org/media/liveevnts.cfm)[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial]Or watch the live video, if they choose to show this committee, at this URL: http://www.tvw.org/media/index.cfm?CFID=7425044&CFTOKEN=93461254](http://www.tvw.org/media/index.cfm?CFID=7425044&CFTOKEN=93461254)[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial]Thanks![/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial]Larry[/FONT]
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[FONT=‘Arial Narrow’]Larry Stamp[/FONT]****[FONT=‘Arial Narrow’] AD BS RREI**[/FONT]**
[FONT=‘Arial Narrow’]Cameo Home Inspection Services [/FONT]
[FONT=‘Arial Narrow’]Your ‘Northwest Home’ Inspection Specialist[/FONT]
[FONT=‘Arial Narrow’]**[/FONT]
[FONT=‘Arial Narrow’] [/FONT][FONT=‘Arial Narrow’] Certified Inspector: ASHI, American Society of Home Inspectors [/FONT][FONT=‘Arial Narrow’][/FONT]

cid:003501c75b62$a4b1d930$0200a8c0@motionlgfotwls

[FONT=‘Arial Narrow’]Past President: AII, American Institute of Inspectors[/FONT][FONT=‘Arial Narrow’][/FONT]
[FONT=‘Arial Narrow’]Past President: WAPI, Washington Association of Property Inspectors[/FONT]
[FONT=‘Arial Narrow’]Washington[/FONT]****[FONT=‘Arial Narrow’] Certified Real Estate Instructor**[/FONT]**
[FONT=‘Arial Narrow’]Chair: WDO Committee, WSPCA, Washington State Pest Control Association[/FONT][FONT=‘Arial Narrow’][/FONT]
[FONT=‘Arial Narrow’]cameohomeinspection@comcast.net [/FONT][FONT=‘Arial Narrow’][/FONT]
[FONT=‘Arial Narrow’] 7205 A Martin Way East, PMB 74 Olympia, WA. 98516[/FONT][FONT=‘Arial Narrow’][/FONT]
[FONT=‘Arial Narrow’] 360.459.1632**[/FONT]****

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My responce to Larry

Hi Larry,
I don’t know what the word “biasless’” is or means but my guess is he (Nick) meant *biases’ *and wants a bill that does not specify inspectors being pushed to join, follow a particular (one) association rules or SOP. A bill that is bias in its wording is what I would take this as. If you get a bill or governing body who decides to implement wording into law that says: “All home inspectors in the state of WA should inspect by the SOP of the ASHI standards”, then I’m sure you can appreciate his point. Turn it around you would be equally offended if the bill stated: “All home inspectors in the state of WA should inspect to the SOP of NACHI, or NAHI”
We should be free to join what ever Assoc. we wanted to. After all that’s the American way. Just my opinion though as I was not part of the conversation.

Peter Doane

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I want to know why Nick would be pushing ANY bill whatsoever?

I’d rather here Nick’s side of the story.

Nick?

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I just sent a email to Nick to comment on this thread.

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As an association, NACHI will oppose (whether its local members favor it, or not) any bill that has association bias, puts existing home inspectors out of work, or creates unreasonable hurdles for new inspectors wishing to enter the profession.

Nick will back you up in your fight for or against legislation, otherwise, if you can show him that the majority of NACHI members in your state oppose/favor it. Keep in mind that this is Lewis Capaul’s NACHI, too, and if he represents the majority of the inspectors in your state…Nick will be slow to impose.

NACHI leaders must be invited to participate in local issues, so get on the phone and lobby for his support like you would your own legislature. Get him on your team and then watch him do his thing.

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Well, if you read through the substitute bill it clearly creates a difficulty for new inspectors entering the field. I would think that alone would make him want to oppose it.

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Mentoring, like the PHIC requirement, has been known to be considered as an unreasonable hurdle. Requiring the NHIE or other association bias has triggered an automatic response.

I think the political trouble that the opposition to this bill may have within the association is how loud the proponents have been. Your “coalition” had a NACHI member on it who was communicating with Nick. Your other proponents have been loud and organized.

The opposition needs to organize, in my opinion. Presenting a united front to NACHI is the first step to convincing your legislature that they need to reconsider. In the absence of that, IMO, Capaul wins.

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Have you sent out those materials yet James?

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No. I got caught by surprise with a bill proposed in my own state. It has kept me pretty busy for the past 36 hours.:wink:

Step one…round up the opposition and count heads. Pick a spokesman. Call Nick.

Then begin to pound your legislature with the one argument that they cannot refute…No one has proven the need for a law.

The proponents for the bill will want you to argue the fine points of it and bog you down in details when the truth is…the whole thing is not necessary. Present the option to every member of your legislature to evaluate the NEED…not the law. Fight it on that front, first.

Good luck.

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Sounds good. Send that stuff out when you get time. :slight_smile:

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That’s the only “fine point” that needs to be argued as far as the passage or the defeat of any Bill. Washington HI’s have the right to fight the Bill’s passage, they also have the right to fight for the Bill’s passage.

If Washington NACHI members are anything like those who have been polled on this message board, then nearly three to one will be in favor of regulation, so there may be some effort there to convince them to try and defeat the Bill.

Myself, I’ll take the Bill Public and rely on Public pressure to demonstrate the need for regulation to the legislators.

Thanks for that, I’ll use the same argument, in fact I’ll even use this as a Quote of a high ranking NACHI Official.

As far as putting any Inspector out of work, or creating unreasonable hurdles to those entering the profession. or association bias, the latest change in the Bill contains none of those.

Thanks for the quote, people will be interested in an Association that opposes a Bill whether or not the Washington members of the Association favor it. It will play well. In fact Rep. Hanson would probably appreciate it.

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The Sunrise Committee states very clearly that legislation is not needed where a profession has organizations aimed at regulating itself. HI has plenty of those. It also states that if the profession has it’s own SOP legislation is not needed and any regulation of the profession should go through the organizations already in place.

It shouldn’t be hard to prove at all that legislation is not needed in Washington State.

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You can only count on NACHI for certain to get involved in state licensing issues when there is association bias. We would have to be shown good reason why an association bias-less Bill would be particularly bad for NACHI members before we would be willing to spend NACHI member’s dues opposing it.

It is your state.

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Fight the bill, Wendy. It is not a sure thing. Pull together all who oppose it. There are more than have posted on the subject.

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First you would have to find an Association that has the authority to regulate, ASHI, NACHI, none of them have the right or the authority to regulate anyone other than there own members, a big portion of the HI’s in Washington, if not the Majority are independents and belong to NO Association.

Want an example of how your argument doesn’t work, look at the Realtors, they not only have a State Association with rules that govern themm but they have National Oragnizations that also “regulate” them, but guess what Windy, they are required to be licensed in the State of Washington, so will Home Inspectors.

If you oppose regulation that’s fine, I’ve said before, everyone write their Senators and Representatives no matter which side you’re on, that’s everone’s right, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. You make your arguments, organize those who agree with you, and those who favor it should be able to do the same thing.

Remember though, its not just Home Inspectors who have a voice in this matter, so far the public has heard very little if anything about it, so far.

You’ll find it hard outside the HI community to find support for any argument that HI Regulation is not needed, try mentioning the present Bill to a Realtor, their first words are “It’s about time”, or telling a Client that there is no regulation of HI’s in Washington, most are very suprised and ask why not. The Bill is now almost far enough along to begin a letter to the editor campaign informing the Public of the pending Bill and providing them with links to the KIRO and the Vancouver reports and videos, and then there are steps to be taken later. By the way, very few of the public will argue about the “fine points” of the Bill, they will just want one passed, especially if given the right information at the right time. Things I learned while working on several Washington State Iniatives, including I-695

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Lewis,
If you are going to insist on reading my posts, and if you care enough to reply, please do me the courtesy of addressing me by my correct, adult name. I used to have lots of nicknames as a child, however, I have chosen to move on with life and give up childish things. If you would like to join us in the grown up world, please do the proper thing and address me properly.
Thank you.

Honestly Lewis,
You seem like the type of person who would go out and perform crappy home inspections just to get people to believe licensing is necessary for their own good.

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No Windy, I’ll use the crappy inspectors already out there to prove that legislation is needed, when you start perfoming inspections then I might listen to your comments about crappy inspectors, until then you’re just a wannabe who makes accusations, threats, and comments with absolutley now evidence, until then you’re just blowing Wind.

And if you keep replying to my posts or posting immediately after me in almost every forum, I will occasionally take you off ignore. When did you start using InspectVue?

As far as the present Bill goes it has very little if any Association Bias, the NHIE is not administered by ASHI and it is a requirement, not only to join a HI Association, but is used by several other States as a qualifying test, so that is not an unreasonable condition. The SPI, hundreds of Washington INspectors have had their license for years, a one day course, a test, or home study and a test, is also not an unreasonable condition, ithat qualification also has already been met by hundreds if not thousands of HI’s in Washington, Minimum education, proof of experience, etc. there is nothing in the present version of the Bill that would meet Nicks criteria or any Sunshine Committee’s criteria to interfere with the passage of the Bill.

Nick says that the numbers show that the NACHI Test is harder than the NHIE, so how could the NHIE be unreasonable? The only way the present Bill would eliminate or prevent anyone from being or becoming a Home Inspector is if the Individual REFUSED to follow the criteria set by the State. Even those who cannot meet the grandfathering criteria will have months if not a year or more to get the education etc. that is required.

You oppose regulation, that’s fine, fight to kill it, organize, do what ever you can, that’s everyone’s right, just like it is to support Regulation.

Me, I’ll use the public to push for the Bills passage, if it passes that’s okay, if it doesn’t, it’s still okay, like I keep saying I like things just the way they are, this Bill I can live with, if it’s defeated who knows what next years version will be. A Bird in Hand…

I’m even on your side in part, I’d like to see the WDO/SPI crap done away with completely, just require all HI’s to refer WDO to a licensed Pest Company, like our SOP already tells us to do, but those of us who want too keep our SPI License and those who want to get one should still have that as an option.

So everyone do their best which ever side of the issue you’re on, we can all live with whatever the result is.

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Look how quickly you posted after James. Two minutes. That is following someone around. Not posting in the same thread hours or whatever later.

You’re just upset you’re going to lose your bet. :wink:

And I do appreciate that you agree with the SPI crud. Thanks for saying that.

19

Neither Bill will eliminate any “crappy inspectors” but both will nearly triple the number of inspectors (competitors) in Washington, diminish the market share enjoyed by existing inspectors who earned it, give mediocre inspectors a credential “licensed” undistinguishable from the very best inspectors, spawn dozens of newbie producing schools, and lower overall industry fees.

Licensing… it lets many in, and keeps few out.

20

Exactly.