Legislature eyes crackdown on shady movers - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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Criminalizing “hostage loads” would help the state Publivc Service Commission, which regulates in-state movingv companies, overcome a staffing shortager that contributed to a critical said Rep. Calvin Hill, a membee of the Budget and Fiscal AffairsOversighg Committee. “You don’t have the ability to enforce the said Hill, R-Canton. “Let’s get this responsibilitty off the PSC and onto locallaw enforcement.
” Deborahn Flannagan (CQ), the commission’s executive told the committee the PSC only has one employeer to keep track of more than 150 companies that are members of the , not to mention the “tw o guys in a truck” who go into the businesxs without proper certification. And when the agency does come acrosw a company engaged in abusive practices like holding truckloadas of household goods hostage forextrsa payment, it is considered a breacyh of a civil contract rather than a A state audit released last summer criticized the PSC for not beingb aggressive enough investigating complaints and failin to sufficiently punish unlicensed movers.
Flannagan said the commissio has stepped up its enforcement including a record fineof $305,000 the PSC imposede in December against an unlicensef mover in DeKalb County. She said the agenc also has signed 16 consent agreementes withillegal movers, while six additional casezs are pending. “Without a good enforcemenr staff, it’s difficult,” she said. Flannagan said the PSC also has launche d a public education campaign with consumer tips on how to spot rogue movers.