Auctioneer as Professional Solicitor- Required $50,000 Surety Bond

How many of you know that benefit auctioneers MAY be considered "professional solicitors" in some states and must (in Florida) register with the state and pay for a $50,000 surety bond?

I just saw this today. I don't remember hearing about this in my auctioneer course (I may have simply missed it). I asked several Florida auctioneers I know who do benefits and they hadn't heard of it either- which alarms me that so many may be at risk.

This is what I found for Florida:

"....Under the Florida Solicitation of Contributions Act (Chapter 496, Florida Statutes), a benefit auctioneer working on behalf of a nonprofit generally must register with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) as a Professional Solicitor. If you are paid to conduct, manage, or carry out a charitable solicitation or auction, you are legally considered a professional solicitor.

Did you hear about this in your auctioneer course?

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