Securing Consumers' Assurance in Moving Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-1070
Sponsor: Rep. Petri, Thomas E. [R-WI-6]
Introduced: 2003-03-04 in the House
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Business records
Civil actions and liability
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer complaints
Consumer education
Consumer protection
Crime and Law Enforcement
Data banks
Department of Transportation
Electronic government information
Federal advisory bodies
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Finance and Financial Sector
Fines (Penalties)
Fraud
Freight
Freight forwarders
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publications
Government publicity
Governmental investigations
Household moving
Housing and Community Development
Internet
Interstate commerce
Law
Local laws
Science, Technology, Communications
State laws
Transportation insurance
Web sites

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-04
text: Securing Consumers' Assurance in Moving Act of 2003 - Amends Federal transportation law to provide that Federal regulations covering the transportation of household goods by motor private carriers shall not preempt State regulation of intrastate transportation of household goods by such carriers.
Authorizes an individual or a State or local government to enforce a consumer protection law, regulation, or other provision with respect to the interstate transportation of household goods by a motor private carrier.
Establishes a working group of State attorneys general, State consumer protection administrators, and Federal and local law enforcement officials to develop practices and procedures to enhance the Federal-State partnership in enforcement efforts with respect to interstate transportation of household goods by motor private carriers.
Sets forth both civil and criminal penalties for persons found holding a household goods shipment hostage (failure to deliver to, or unload at, the destination of a shipment of household goods).
Requires: (1) publication OCE 100 of the Department of Transportation (DOT), entitled "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move" be prominently displayed on the DOT Web site; and (2) motor carriers or brokers that maintain a web site to display certain household goods information.
Establishes a system for filing and logging consumer complaints relating to motor carriers providing transportation of household goods.
Requires the Secretary to review current Federal regulations regarding insurance coverage provided by a motor carrier providing transportation of household goods and to revise such regulations in order to enhance protection for shippers in the case of loss or damage.
Provides civil penalties for a broker for transportation of household goods (or a person that provides transportation of household goods) that: (1) makes an estimate of transportation costs of such goods before entering into a carrier agreement; or (2) provides services for such transportation without being registered.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways, Transit and Pipelines.
action_date: 2003-03-04
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2003-03-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-03-04
text: Introduced in House