In committee
Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act
This bill strengthens consumer protections by cracking down on fraudulent moving companies and freight brokers. It authorizes federal regulators and state agencies to penalize movers that violate commercial shipping rules, allowing states to keep the fines they collect. Additionally, moving companies and brokers must register a verified physical business office and disclose past business or family ties to other transport companies before they are allowed to operate.
People affected—Not determinable from the text provided; the bill regulates commercial motor carriers, freight forwarders, and property/household goods brokers without specifying population counts.
Fiscal magnitude—no CBO estimate published
Reach38provisional · pending reviewrigor: heuristic llm
What this bill touches.
Market protections+35Federal vs. state/local−30Regulation (cross-sector)+35
Who it helps · who it burdens.
Who it helps
- State governments and transportation enforcement agenciesPermitted to use federal motor carrier safety grant funds at their discretion to enforce federal household goods moving laws, and are authorized to retain all fines and penalties collected from carriers and brokers in state enforcement proceedings (Sec. 3, Sec. 4).
Who it burdens
- Motor carriers, freight forwarders, and transportation brokersMust designate a single physical principal place of business to obtain or retain federal operating registration, face registration suspension or revocation for failing to do so, and brokers and freight forwarders must disclose 3-year affiliations or family ties with other transportation entities (Sec. 5).
- Noncompliant commercial motor carriers, household goods movers, and brokersFace civil penalties assessed directly by the Secretary of Transportation after notice and hearing for regulatory violations, and are required to pay state-retained fines resulting from state enforcement proceedings (Sec. 2(a), Sec. 4).