One of the most rewarding parts of serving as CMSA president is the opportunity to annually tour the 12 CMSA chapters around the state with the current Chairman. This year, it is particularly appreciated because of our inability to meet face to face during the pandemic over the last year and a half. While I have become a fan of Zoom and other virtual technology, there is nothing like meeting with our terrific members, visiting their operations, and breaking bread and exchanging information at a chapter meeting. It is also fantastic that we can finally give Chairman John Chipman Jr. the opportunity to have that chapter visit experience after a year of service in virtual lockdown.

Last month, in addition to chapter visits, Chairman Chipman and I had the opportunity to meet with the Bureau of Household Goods and Services (BHGS) leadership, in person, at their Sacramento headquarters. We continue to be impressed with BHGS and their mission to protect consumers while also respecting and serving the regulated mover. We have recently seen a transition at the top of the Bureau and are pleased to report that Acting Deputy Bureau Chief Tonya Corcoran has continued to maintain a policy of access for the Association.

In addition to sharing with BHGS staff how much we appreciate the good work that they are doing, we discussed areas that still need to be addressed. The first of our concerns was related to the MAX 4 Tariff and the urgent need to address major cost changes that cannot be corrected by an annual CPI increase alone. We shared the market realities of a complete reset of the costs related to Blue-Collar labor and what is happening in the used truck marketplace. While the state is hesitant to make a change in the base rates, we discussed the symbiotic relationship between movers and consumers and that a healthy industry is vital to community safety and consumer protections.

In addition to discussing the idea of a MAX 4 adjustment with BHGS, we have also reviewed the issue with our lobbyists, Josh Shaw and Matt Robinson of Shaw Yoder Antwih Schmelzer & Lange (SYASL) in the event that we need to address the issue from a legislative perspective. Additionally, we discussed with Josh and Matt the importance of opposing and squashing any redo of AB 2460, AB 224 in the 2022 session. The good news is that our very experienced lobbyists don’t see it as a probability. There would have to be a new bill and they have heard that the Governor’s office does not want to see this bill again. We are cautiously optimistic.

They are also enthusiastic that our board has decided that March 15, 2022, will be a good time for the Association to once again have an in-person Legislative Day in Sacramento (stay tune for more details). While it is uncertain that the Capitol building will be open to the public, SYASL plans to have their offices and conference rooms available for our members. We will invite relevant legislators and regulators to join us across the street from the Capitol to discuss issues important to our industry and state. Hope to see you there.

November 2021 - CMSA Communicator