Bill Text: TX SB1443 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to the licensing and regulation of auctioneers and associate auctioneers; amending provisions subject to a criminal penalty; requiring an occupational license.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-04-14 - Left pending in committee [SB1443 Detail]

Download: Texas-2015-SB1443-Introduced.html
  84R8583 EES-F
 
  By: Eltife S.B. No. 1443
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the licensing and regulation of auctioneers and
  associate auctioneers; amending provisions subject to a criminal
  penalty; requiring an occupational license.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 1802.001, Occupations Code, is amended
  by amending Subdivisions (1), (5), and (10) and adding Subdivision
  (2) to read as follows:
               (1)  "Advisory board" means the Auctioneer [Education]
  Advisory Board.
               (2)  "Associate auctioneer" means an individual who,
  for compensation, is employed by and under the direct supervision
  of a licensed auctioneer to sell or offer to sell property at an
  auction. 
               (5)  "Auctioneer" means any individual [person] who[:
                     [(A)]  sells or offers to sell property of another
  person by live bid at auction, with or without receiving
  consideration[; or
                     [(B)     solicits, negotiates, or executes an
  auction listing contract].
               (10)  "Personal property" means any property other than
  real property[, including all tangible and intangible types of
  property].
         SECTION 2.  Section 1802.002(a), Occupations Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  This chapter does not apply to:
               (1)  a sale conducted by order of a United States court
  under Title 11, United States Code;
               (2)  a sale conducted by an employee of the United
  States, this state, or a political subdivision of this state in the
  course and scope of employment;
               (3)  a sale conducted by a charitable, religious, or
  civic organization, including an organization having a tax exempt
  status under Section 501(c), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or
  organized as a nonprofit entity, if the person organizing,
  arranging, or conducting the auction receives no compensation;
               (4)  [a sale conducted by any person of the person's
  property if the person is not engaged in the business of selling
  property at auction on a recurring basis;
               [(5)]  a foreclosure sale of real property personally
  conducted by a trustee under a deed of trust;
               (5) [(6)]  a foreclosure sale of personal property
  personally conducted by:
                     (A)  a person who holds a security interest in the
  property, including a mortgage; or
                     (B)  an employee or agent of a person described by
  Paragraph (A) acting in the course and scope of employment, if:
                           (i)  the employee or agent is not otherwise
  engaged in the auction business; and
                           (ii)  all property for sale in the auction is
  subject to a security agreement;
               (6) [(7)]  a sale conducted by sealed bid without the
  option of increasing or decreasing the amount of a bid;
               (7) [(8)]  an auction conducted only for student
  training purposes as part of a course of study approved by the
  department;
               (8) [(9)]  an auction conducted by a posted stockyard
  or market agency as defined by the federal Packers and Stockyards
  Act (7 U.S.C. Section 181 et seq.), as amended;
               (9) [(10)]  an auction of livestock conducted by a
  nonprofit livestock trade association chartered in this state, if
  the auction involves only the sale of livestock owned by members of
  the trade association;
               (10) [(11)]  an auction conducted by a charitable or
  nonprofit organization chartered in this state, if the auction:
                     (A)  is part of a fair that is organized under
  state, county, or municipal authority; and
                     (B)  involves only the sale of property owned by
  the organization's members; [or]
               (11) [(12)]  a sale or auction conducted by an
  auctioneer while the auctioneer is physically located outside of
  this state;
               (12)  a sale of motor vehicles at auction by a person
  licensed under Chapter 2301 or 2302;
               (13)  a sale of motor vehicles at auction by a person
  who holds a wholesale motor vehicle auction general distinguishing
  number or an independent motor vehicle general distinguishing
  number issued by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles; or
               (14)  an auction of property through the Internet.
         SECTION 3.  Section 1802.051, Occupations Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 1802.051.  LICENSE REQUIRED. (a)  A person may not act
  as an auctioneer or associate auctioneer [of real or personal
  property] in this state unless the person holds a license issued by
  the executive director under this chapter.
         (b)  A person [An auctioneer] who advertises to conduct an
  auction in this state shall provide the [auctioneer's] name and
  license number of the auctioneer who will conduct the auction in the
  advertisement.
         (c)  Except as provided by Subsection (d), an [An] individual
  who is licensed under this chapter may not act as an auctioneer for
  an entity unless the entity[:
               [(1)]  is an auction company owned or operated by an
  individual who is licensed under this chapter[;
               [(2)     holds a dealer general distinguishing number
  issued under Subchapter B, Chapter 503, Transportation Code, and
  the auction is for the purpose of auctioning vehicles as defined by
  Section 503.001, Transportation Code; or
               [(3)     is a real estate brokerage firm that is operated
  by a broker licensed by the Texas Real Estate Commission].
         (d)  An individual who is licensed under this chapter may
  only conduct an auction to sell motor vehicles, as defined by
  Section 502.001, Transportation Code, if the license holder
  conducts the auction for a person who holds a dealer general
  distinguishing number issued under Subchapter B, Chapter 503,
  Transportation Code. 
         SECTION 4.  Section 1802.052(a), Occupations Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  An individual is eligible for an auctioneer's license if
  the individual:
               (1)  is at least 18 years of age;
               (2)  is a citizen of the United States or a legal alien;
               (3)  either:
                     (A)  passes a written or oral examination
  demonstrating knowledge of the auction business and of the laws of
  this state relating to the auction business; or
                     (B)  shows proof of employment by a licensed
  auctioneer for at least two years and participation in at least 10
  auctions during that employment;
               (4)  holds a high school diploma or a high school
  equivalency certificate;
               (5)  has not been convicted of a felony during the five
  years preceding the date of application; and
               (6)  has completed at least 80 hours of classroom
  instruction at an auction school with a curriculum approved by the
  department in accordance with the standards and procedures
  established by rule adopted under this chapter.
         SECTION 5.  Subchapter B, Chapter 1802, Occupations Code, is
  amended by adding Section 1802.053 to read as follows:
         Sec. 1802.053.  ELIGIBILITY FOR ASSOCIATE AUCTIONEER
  LICENSE. An individual is eligible for an associate auctioneer
  license if the individual is:
               (1)  a citizen of the United States or a legal alien;
  and
               (2)  employed under the direct supervision of an
  auctioneer licensed under this chapter.
         SECTION 6.  Section 1802.054, Occupations Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 1802.054.  APPLICATION FOR LICENSE.  An applicant for a
  license must apply to the executive director on a form provided by
  the executive director that establishes the applicant's
  eligibility for the license.  The application must be accompanied
  by:
               (1)  any fee required for the auctioneer education and
  recovery fund authorized under Section 1802.153;
               (2)  the required application [license] fee; and
               (3)  either:
                     (A)  the permit number of a sales tax permit
  issued to the applicant by the comptroller under Subchapter F,
  Chapter 151, Tax Code; or
                     (B)  proof of exemption from the tax permit
  requirement under Chapter 151, Tax Code.
         SECTION 7.  Section 1802.055, Occupations Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 1802.055.  APPLICATION FOR EXAMINATION. [(a)] An
  individual who establishes that the individual is eligible for an
  auctioneer's license may apply to the executive director to take
  the license examination. The application must be accompanied by
  the application [examination] fee.
         [(b)     On receipt of an examination application and fee, the
  executive director shall furnish the applicant with:
               [(1)     study materials and references on which the
  examination will be based; and
               [(2)     a schedule specifying the dates and places the
  examination will be offered.
         [(c)     The applicant may take the examination at any scheduled
  offering not later than the 90th day after the date the applicant
  receives the study materials.]
         SECTION 8.  Section 1802.059(b), Occupations Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The executive director shall accept the applicant's
  auctioneer's license submitted under Subsection (a)(2) as proof of
  the applicant's professional competence and waive the examination
  or employment and training requirements of Section 1802.052 if the
  state or political subdivision that issued the nonresident a
  license extends similar recognition and courtesies to this state.
         SECTION 9.  The heading to Subchapter C, Chapter 1802,
  Occupations Code, is amended to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER C. AUCTIONEER [EDUCATION] ADVISORY BOARD
         SECTION 10.  The heading to Section 1802.101, Occupations
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 1802.101.  AUCTIONEER [EDUCATION] ADVISORY BOARD.
         SECTION 11.  Section 1802.106, Occupations Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 1802.106.  COMPENSATION. A member appointed under
  Section 1802.102(a)(1) may not receive[:
               [(1)]  compensation for serving on the advisory board[;
  or
               [(2)  reimbursement for expenses].
         SECTION 12.  Section 1802.107, Occupations Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 1802.107.  MEETINGS. [(a) The advisory board shall
  meet at least quarterly each calendar year.
         [(b)]  The advisory board shall [may] meet [at other times]
  at the call of the presiding officer of the commission or the
  executive director.
         SECTION 13.  Section 1802.001(12), Occupations Code, is
  repealed.
         SECTION 14.  Not later than March 1, 2016, the Texas
  Commission of Licensing and Regulation shall adopt rules necessary
  to implement the changes in law made by this Act.
         SECTION 15.  (a)  Notwithstanding Chapter 1802, Occupations
  Code, as amended by this Act, a person is not required to hold a
  license issued under that chapter to act as an associate auctioneer
  until March 1, 2016.
         (b)  An individual who was licensed by the Texas Department
  of Licensing and Regulation as an associate auctioneer on or before
  June 14, 2013, may apply the individual's work experience
  participating in auctions as an associate auctioneer on or before
  June 14, 2013, toward the individual's eligibility for an
  auctioneer's license under Chapter 1802, Occupations Code.
         SECTION 16.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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