Texas Auctioneers Association | Block Talk | November 2020
Your TAA Monthly News and Updates
TEXAS SCOTTISH RITE UPDATE
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas has been TAA's designated charity for over 15 years. We are proud to be a supporting partner each year and host an interactive "fun auction" for the patients and families. TSR Dallas has now expanded to offer more orthopedic care for children with their new Frisco clinic. 
 
Thank you to everyone who has supported this effort. Thank you America's Auction Academy also for being a joint partner for TSR. 

2020 UPDATE - Due to COVID restrictions, the hospital is not allowing public on campus so the December 7, 2020 fun auction & lunch is cancelled. Please plan to support the children of TSR in different ways this year. See below options:  
 
1) Mail a check in care of TAA office marked for "TSR donation". All donations will be forwarded to TSR in December.
 
2) Texas Scottish Rite Amazon Wish List - these items will ship direct to them. Note:They discourage dropping off donations at this time. CLICK HERE FOR AMAZON WISH LIST. 
 
3) DONATE ONLINE and note in "comments section" that you are with TAA.  
TAA PAC CHALLENGE
Make a difference for the future of auctioneering in Texas & to monitor bills impacting our profession. $50 will make a difference! Together we can make a difference! Donate NOW to the TAA Political Action Fun.

Donations will be used to support legislators that are favorable to our auction profession. Our goal is $20,000 by December 1!  
 
Thank you to those that have donated so far!!  $50 is $4.16 per month.  
 
*Direct Donations - If you have donated to a legislator directly, also please let us know and we will list you as a contact for them.

Why the challenge?
Of most urgent interest is to protect the current auctioneer license under TDLR which has recommended to eliminate the license, bond and database under sunset review to be voted on during the 2021 session. This includes among many issues, but to highlight a few...

·    Do you want to lose reciprocity with other states?
·    Do you want to lose current standard rules and guidelines overlapping auction and real estate industries? 
·    Do you want to lose the state database to refer clients to showing licensed auctioneers ? 
·    Do you want to lose umbrella bonding available under the state TDLR license program?
 
Encourage your colleagues to give what they can! **Please note - donations need to be from personal accounts and not corporate in order to be used for legislator donations.
 
The 2021 Texas Legislative Session will start in January.  HELP SUPPORT the "war chest" to protect auctioneers in Texas! Keep Texas Strong!
Donate Online:
1. CLICK HERE (Reminder please use personal card, not corporate cards.)
2.Download form and mail check (Reminder use personal checks and not corporate checks.)
3.Call or text TAA office to make donation over phone: 512-626-3674
AUCTION LICENSE TO REMOVE FELONY RESTRICTION
We were alerted by TDLR Advisory notice below that they are recommending to remove the restriction of felony conviction from the auction license application. 
 
Rick Stroud, TAA Member has been appointed as Chairman of the TDLR Auctioneer Advisory Board and shared at the October advisory meeting with TDLR. They discussed that most licenses are deleting the felony restriction from advice of state counsel to allow to apply. TDLR discussed that applications would be reviewed and not automatically approved and they would use curent occupational codes to review. 
 
You can make a difference. PLEASE SHARE your input using the TDLR link below. 
 
Please submit your comment thru TDLR link below by December 7, 2020.
 
Thank you for protecting the Texas Auction Industry.
TDLR proposes amendments to an existing rule at 16 Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 67, §67.20, regarding the Auctioneers program. The proposed rule amends the licensure requirements for auctioneers by removing the restriction that prevents an applicant with a felony conviction during the five years prior to application from being licensed.
 
The proposed rule was published in the November 6, 2020, issue of the Texas Register (45 TexReg 7922). The Department will accept comments on the proposal until December 7, 2020.
 
The Department encourages anyone interested in the Auctioneers Program to review the rule proposal online. Comments may be submitted electronically on the Department's website.
**SAVE THE DATE**
2021 TAA Annual Convention
& State Contests
May 20-23
at the new Kalahari Resort
Round Rock, TX
TEXAS AUCTIONEERS ASSOCIATION
512-285-2727