REALTORS HAVE QUESTIONS FOR COMMISSION

BENTON COUNTY -- A member of the Arkansas Realtors Association hopes a
legislative committee will set some standards that will protect property
owners when it comes to the issue of who pays to clean up houses where
controlled substances have been manufactured. "The Arkansas Realtors
Association is the conscience for property rights on this committee," said
Larry Kelly, a member of the association's Legislative Committee and a
Bentonville Realtor.

Kelly and Arkansas Realtors Association President Sharla Lau of Fort Smith
will represent the association in the state General Assembly's Manufactured
Drug Inspection and Cleanup Study Committee. The committee was formed under
Act 1996, which was introduced in the 2005 regular session by State Sen.
Shane Broadway (D-Bryant).

The committee is scheduled to meet at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in Room 209 of the
State Capitol. Kelly said a number of issues are still under consideration
by the committee, including a couple of vital interest to property owners
- -- if controlled substances have been manufactured in a structure, at what
point is cleanup necessary and who foots the bill?

Broadway said determining who pays to cleanup residences is but one of
several items being covered by the committee.

Kelly said the Arkansas Realtors Association is mindful of the necessity of
cleaning drug residue out of homes and want to protect property owners who
didn't know controlled substances were being manufactured in homes they own
but don't occupy.

Kelly said controlled substances such as methamphetamine are routinely
manufactured in rented dwellings. If a landlord had no knowledge that one
of his tenants was manufacturing drugs, should that property owner be stuck
with the bill if the state determines cleanup is necessary? "We've got a
lot of questions and not a lot of answers," Kelly said.