I agree with Chair Hammer and her theme of gratefulness expressed in her column. With all the challenges and stresses of our modern lives, we still have much to be grateful for during this holiday season and in our everyday lives.

On December 8, CMSA participated in a Bureau of Household Goods and Services (BHGS) Licensing Workshop, held in Southern California at the Contractor’s State Licensing Board Office in Norwalk, CA. BHGS’s goal was to get input from both the permitted industry and the public on regulatory issues and allow those who might not travel to Sacramento the opportunity to be heard in person. Invitations were extended to all movers and others that have signed up for the Bureau’s listserv. Bureau Chief Justin Paddock and Policy Manager Yeaphana La Marr, both well-known to CMSA members from their convention presentations, as well as DCA Regulatory Attorney Alex Millington, lead the meeting/listening session. CMSA was represented by Officers; Chair Shiree Hammer, Vice Chair Jesse Chabot, Secretary-Treasurer Mike Sarro, board member Bill Arvidson, LA Chapter President Marshall Lambert, and CMSA President Steve Weitekamp. Additional CMSA members joined the meeting using the call-in option.

After welcomes and introductions, BHGS Policy Manager La Marr spent time reviewing the regulations process for the group. In short, changes to regulations for state agencies take an extended period of time for development and review with several agency groups and finally a period of time (45 days) for public comment. Without significant controversy, we should expect the process to generally take 12 to 18 months.

We then received a Business Modernization Update. Changes would include an Information Technology platform that allows household goods mover permits and eventually quarterly reporting to be completed electronically. The system is currently scheduled to go live with Phase 1 in mid-February 2023

Discussion of the bonding and insurance requirements related to BHGS permits was next on the agenda. On the issue of bonding, it is our position that any reference to a subhauler bond should go away. There are no longer multiple classes of mover permits, now there is only one statewide mover permit, and anyone that was issued a subhauler or local mover permit has been grandfathered into a statewide mover permit. On the issue of other potential reasons for bonding in our industry, we see no need. Our position is that the stringent permitting process and other insurance products required of permitted movers provide all the protections necessary. On the issue of cargo coverage, it was agreed by all that the $20,000 coverage requirement (purchased by the mover from the insurance company, not what is offered to the public) was no longer a reasonable number and that a $50,000 minimum coverage requirement was more in line with industry norms and available products.

December 2022 - CMSA Communicator