LOCAL MOVES OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS S.B. 266: FLOOR ANALYSIS




Senate Bill 266 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Senator Valde Garcia
Committee: Commerce and Tourism

CONTENT
The bill would amend the Motor Carrier Act to do the following:

-- Apply the Act (including certification and permit requirements) to vehicles transporting household goods and motor carriers of household goods. -- Prohibit the Michigan Public Service Commission (PSC) from regulating and determining the rates, fares, charges, and classifications of local moves of household goods (i.e., household goods shipments of 40 miles or less). -- Eliminate a requirement that the PSC consider, when issuing a certificate, certain factors that involve existing available and adequate service and whether the proposed service will create excess service inconsistent with the public interest.
-- Provide that a carrier of household goods would be liable to the person entitled to recover under a receipt or bill of lading, which the bill would require a carrier to issue for property it received for transportation. -- Allow the PSC to require or request carriers to file annual and other reports if it considered the information necessary for the administration and/or enforcement of the Act.
-- Specify that the Act would not apply to a vehicle transporting property for or on behalf of a nonprofit charitable institution or for a house of public worship.


Currently, a vehicle operated entirely within a Michigan city or village, or a motor carrier of property whose operation extends not more than eight miles beyond the boundary of a city or village with a population of less than 500,000, is exempt from the Act. Under the bill, these exemptions would not apply to a vehicle transporting household goods or a motor carrier of household goods.


MCL 475.1 et al. Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter

FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would require that all trucks used for moving household goods be registered with the Public Service Commission within the Department of Labor and Economic Growth (DLEG) and pay a $50 annual fee. The PSC estimates that the revenue from this fee currently is $50,000 annually. The PSC estimates that the bill would increase revenue by $50,000 to $100,000, bringing total revenue to approximately $100,000 to $150,000 per year. These fees are received by the Public Service Commission. Motor carrier fee revenue not appropriated to DLEG is transferred to the Department of State Police.


Date Completed: 3-7-07 Fiscal Analyst: Elizabeth Pratt Maria Tyszkiewicz


floor\sb266 Analysis available @ http://www.michiganlegislature.org
 This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.

Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb266/0708