Ohio wants to make Ebay sellers get an auctioneer’s license:

The law, as written, requires Ohio residents who sell products online to get a state auction license.

Besides costing $200 and posting a $50,000 bond, the license requires a one-year apprenticeship to a licensed auctioneer, acting as a bid-caller in 12 auctions, attending an approved auction school, passing a written and oral exam. Failure to get a license could result in the seller being fined up to $1,000 and jailed for a maximum of 90 days.

The primary author of the legislation, State Sen. Larry Mumper, told the paper the legislature never intended it to apply to individuals selling items over eBay. But Mumper, while vowing changes, couldn’t say exactly who would or would not be exempt from the license requirement under any changes in the pending law.

“It certainly will not apply to the casual seller on eBay, but might apply to anyone who sells a lot,” he said. “If someone buys and sells on eBay on a regular basis as a type of business, then there is a need for regulation.”

Um, why? If Mumper wants to go after Ebay frauds, appropriate more money to the state’s fraud-control law enforcement units. Requiring Ebay entrepeneurs to endure a yearlong apprenticeship under a real-world auctioneer only reveals that Mumper hasn’t a clue what this Internets thing is all about.

And Ohio politicians wonder why businesses are fleeing the state in droves.

Thanks to Matt McClendon for the link.

UPDATE: Don Boudreaux more clearly illustrates lawmaker Mumper’s illogical thinking:

Sen. Mumper’s statement is striking for its backward logic. It is precisely the regular seller ââ?¬â?? the person who earns his living buying and selling on eBay ââ?¬â?? who is least likely to cheat in his dealings on eBay. Regular sellers have much more invested in their good reputations to risk it all by cheating their trading partners. If government regulation is needed on eBay, it should apply first and foremost to the occasional user, for the occasional user is less likely than a regular user to be held in check by concern for his good commercial reputation.

Which is why it’s funny that Mumper and the law’s supporters are falling all over themselves to assure Ohio voters that it’s only the big Ebayers taht will be affected, not occasional users. See this Cleveland Plain Dealer piece.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 8th, 2005 at 10:53 am by Radley Balko and is filed under There Oughtta Be a Law, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.