Senate Bill sb2006

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    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 2006

    By Senator Campbell





    33-632-02

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to household movers; defining

  3         terms; prohibiting certain actions by movers

  4         when moving household goods; providing

  5         requirements for contracts and estimates;

  6         providing penalties; providing an effective

  7         date.

  8

  9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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11         Section 1.  (1)  As used in this section, the term:

12         (a)  "Accessorial services" means any service performed

13  by a mover or third party at the request of the shipper or

14  mover, if the charges for such services are to be paid to the

15  mover by the shipper at or prior to delivery, which is

16  incidental to the transportation service, including valuation

17  coverage; preparation of written inventory; storage; packing,

18  unpacking, or crating of articles; hoisting or lowering;

19  waiting time; long carry (carrying articles excessive

20  distances between the mover's vehicle and the residence);

21  overtime loading and unloading; reweighing; disassembly or

22  reassembly; elevator or stair carrying; boxing or servicing of

23  appliances; and furnishing of packing or crating materials.

24         (b)  "Household goods" means personal effects or other

25  personal property found in a home, personal residence, storage

26  facility, or other location, including property in a

27  storehouse or warehouse facility that is owned or rented by a

28  shipper or shipper's agent, but does not include freight or

29  personal property moving to or from a factory, store, or other

30  place of business.

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    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 2006
    33-632-02




  1         (c)  "Mover" means any person who engages in the

  2  transportation or shipment of household goods for

  3  compensation.

  4         (d)  "Shipper" means any person who uses the services

  5  of a mover to transport or ship household goods.

  6         (2)  A mover must relinquish household goods to a

  7  shipper and must place the goods inside a shipper's dwelling,

  8  unless the shipper has not tendered payment in the amount

  9  specified in a written contract or estimate signed and dated

10  by the shipper. A shipper may not refuse to relinquish

11  prescription medicines and goods for use by children,

12  including children's furniture, clothing, or toys under any

13  circumstances.

14         (3)  A mover may not refuse to relinquish to a shipper

15  household goods, or fail to place the goods inside a shipper's

16  dwelling, based on the mover's refusal to accept a particular

17  form of payment, including cash, cashier's check, money order,

18  travelers check, personal check, credit card, charge card, or

19  debit card, unless the mover clearly and conspicuously

20  discloses in a written contract or estimate signed and dated

21  by the shipper the accepted methods of payment.

22         (4)  A contract and estimate provided to a prospective

23  shipper must be in writing and include:

24         (a)  The name, telephone number, and physical address

25  where the mover's employees are available during normal

26  business hours.

27         (b)  The date and time the contract or estimate is

28  prepared and any proposed date of the move.

29         (c)  The name and address of the shipper, the addresses

30  where the items are to be picked up and delivered, and a

31  telephone number where the shipper may be reached.

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    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 2006
    33-632-02




  1         (d)  The name, telephone number, and physical address

  2  of any location where the goods will be held pending further

  3  transportation, including situations where the mover retains

  4  possession of goods pending resolution of a fee dispute with

  5  the shipper.

  6         (e)  An itemized breakdown and description and total of

  7  all costs and services for transportation and accessorial

  8  services to be provided during a move or storage of household

  9  goods.

10         (f)  The accepted methods of payment.

11         (5)  A mover that lawfully fails to relinquish a

12  shipper's household goods may place the goods in storage until

13  payment is tendered. However, the mover must inform the

14  shipper promptly in writing where the goods are located and

15  the amount due. A mover may not require a prospective shipper

16  to waive any rights or requirements under this section.

17         (6)(a)  A mover's refusal to comply with an order from

18  a law enforcement officer to relinquish a shipper's household

19  goods after the officer determines that the shipper has

20  tendered payment of the amount of a written estimate or

21  contract, or after the officer determines that the mover did

22  not produce a signed estimate or contract upon which demand is

23  being made for payment, a felony of the third degree,

24  punishable as provided in section 775.082, section 775.083, or

25  section 775.084, Florida Statutes. A mover's compliance with

26  an order from a law enforcement officer to relinquish goods to

27  a shipper is not a waiver or finding of fact regarding any

28  right to seek further payment from the shipper.

29         (b)  Any other violation of this section is a

30  misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in

31  section 775.082 or section 775.083, Florida Statutes.

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    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 2006
    33-632-02




  1         (8)  This section does not preempt any local ordinance

  2  or regulation pertaining to moving and storage of household

  3  goods.

  4         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.

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  7                          SENATE SUMMARY

  8    Establishes requirements for household movers, including
      contract requirements and a prohibition against certain
  9    actions, and provides penalties. (See bill for details.)

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