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Committee backs bill to ease bonding and registration for volunteer auctioneers who work for charities
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Summary
House panel adopted amendment L001 and sent HB10‑25 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation. Sponsors said the change removes a paid‑solicitor bond/registration burden for auctioneers who do uncompensated charity work; auctioneers and charity representatives supported the measure.
Representative Marian Caldwell, sponsor of House Bill 10‑25, told the committee the bill would narrow the paid‑solicitor definition so auctioneers who provide services to charities without handling funds would not be required to obtain a $15,000 surety bond and annual registration. "When they do this charity work, they're never actually receiving the money," Caldwell said, describing the administrative and cost hurdles that volunteer auctioneers face.
David Cardella, CEO of the Colorado Independent Automobile Dealers Association and the United Used Car Dealers Charity Fund, testified that auctioneers play a key role in fundraising and typically do not handle proceeds. He said his organization recently raised substantial sums for families in need and that auctioneers frequently donate their time. "When it comes to just the paddle raiser where there is nothing exchanged as far as goods, just people donating money out of the goodness of the heart...we raised $106,000," Cardella said.
Rich Shure, owner of Shure Success Auction Group and past president of the Colorado Auctioneers Association, told the committee the bond and reporting requirements are redundant and burdensome for volunteers because charitable organizations already register and handle funds. "The bond for us doesn't really accomplish anything...It's simply redundant," Shure said.
Representative Martinez offered amendment L001 to change the statutory phrasing—striking "monetary donations" and substituting "contributions"—to align with current statute. There were no objections and L001 was adopted.
Sponsors emphasized the bill applies only to nonprofit charitable events and does not change requirements for for‑profit auctions. Representative Martinez said the intent is to "cut red tape" and allow nonprofits easier access to auctioneer services. The committee voted to move HB10‑25 as amended to the Committee of the Whole; the chair reported the bill "passes 12 to 0 with 1 excused."
