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Read. Follow. Verify.West Virginia raises auctioneer bond requirements, updates licensing rules, and mandates civil penalties be paid to the Department of Agriculture
Last action · February 6, 2026: To House Agriculture, Commerce, and TourismSponsors: Wayne Clark and 6 others
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What This Bill Proposed
House Bill 5179 updates West Virginia's auctioneering laws by raising required bond amounts to $25,000 for auctioneers and $5,000 for apprentice auctioneers, requiring civil penalties to be paid directly to the Department of Agriculture, and establishing detailed contract and advertising standards. The measure also sets rules for auction firms, extends post-expiration grace periods for renewals, and updates exemptions and licensing procedures.
Auctioneers and apprentice auctioneers face higher financial bonding thresholds, stricter advertising prohibitions for absolute and estate auctions, and new contractual disclosure requirements when conducting sales in the state.
- House Bill 5179 was introduced during the 2026 regular legislative session in West Virginia to modify existing statutes governing auctioneers under Chapter 19, Article 2C of the state code. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Licensed auctioneers
Licensed auctioneers must maintain a higher bond amount of at least $25,000 and comply with updated contract and advertising regulations.
Apprentice auctioneers
Apprentice auctioneers must maintain a bond of at least $5,000 and follow revised supervision and renewal timelines.
Auction firms
Auction firms are required to register annually, maintain written contracts with both sellers and auctioneers, and adhere to bonding rules.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What rules apply to advertising an absolute auction?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.
Procedural history
5 actions- Feb 6, 2026HouseCommitteeTo House Agriculture, Commerce, and Tourism
- Feb 4, 2026HouseCommitteeTo House Government Organization
- Feb 4, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced in House
- Feb 4, 2026HouseCommitteeTo Government Organization
- Feb 4, 2026HouseIntroducedFiled for introduction
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Bonding Threshold Increase
The legislation significantly raises the financial barrier for entering and maintaining practice as an auctioneer or apprentice auctioneer by more than doubling minimum bond requirements.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.wvlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 60)
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz10Current news / social attention level
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