Georgia CommonsHouse · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 204: Public Safety, Department of; establish reasonable rates, fares, and charges for transportation by motor carriers of household goods; repeal authority
Last action February 3, 2026 · House Committee Favorably Reported
House Bill 204 would remove the Georgia Department of Public Safety's authority to set rates, fares, and charges that motor carriers of household goods can charge customers, while leaving that authority in place for passenger carriers.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Currently, Georgia law lets the Department of Public Safety establish reasonable rates, fares, and charges for companies that move household goods, such as moving companies, and for motor carriers of passengers. This bill would eliminate that rate-setting authority for household goods movers entirely. Section 1 repeals O.C.G.A. § 40-1-118 outright, which is the code section that currently lets the department set those rates, and marks the section as reserved for future use. Section 2 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 40-1-119 to remove references to household goods, so the ban on charging different rates than approved and the department's rate-setting and anti-discrimination powers would apply only to passenger carriers going forward. Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws. The bill does not specify a delayed effective date in the text provided.
What the bill does
- Repeals O.C.G.A. § 40-1-118 entirely, eliminating the Department of Public Safety's power to set rates, fares, and charges for household goods movers.
- Rewrites O.C.G.A. § 40-1-119 to strike references to household goods, so the rule against charging rates other than approved ones would apply only to passenger carriers.
- Removes household goods movers from the department's authority to prescribe rates and schedules and to police unjust discrimination in charges.
- Leaves the department's rate-setting and anti-discrimination authority over passenger motor carriers unchanged.
Who it affects
Moving companies and other motor carriers that transport household goods in Georgia, the Department of Public Safety, which currently regulates these rates, and consumers who hire movers, since state-approved rate caps and discrimination protections for household goods transport would no longer apply.
Why it matters
Moving companies would gain freedom to set their own prices for transporting household goods without state rate approval or the current protection against unjust price discrimination. Customers hiring movers would lose a regulatory backstop that currently ties charges to state-approved rates and schedules.
Key provisions
- Section 1 repeals Code Section 40-1-118 in its entirety and designates it as reserved, removing the department's authority to set household goods moving rates.
- Section 2 revises Code Section 40-1-119 by deleting 'household goods or' from two places, limiting the rate and anti-discrimination rules to passenger carriers only.
- Section 2 keeps the commissioner's power to prescribe passes, reduced rates for special occasions, and rate schedules for passenger carriers.
- Section 3 repeals all laws and parts of laws in conflict with the Act.
Discussed in meetings (5)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House Motor Vehicles Committee, February 3, 2026
From 0:20:35 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 204 would remove state control over household movers’ rates and let competition set prices. The sponsor said the committee approved the bill the previous year, but it did not advance through the Rules Committee. A witness for the Georgia Movers Association supported the change, saying state-set maximum rates were difficult to adjust as fuel, labor and other costs changed, although the department had recently updated them with an outside economist’s help. Asked how rates were calculated, the witness said mileage was a factor. One member asked where customers would take complaints and whether companies could charge different prices. The witness said the Department of Public Safety would retain oversight and complaint handling, while movers would set their own rates. The witness recommended getting three bids and checking that a mover was licensed. In response to the chair, the witness said licensing, insurance and bonding requirements would remain unchanged. The committee approved the bill by voice vote, with no opposition heard.
House Rules Committee, March 2, 2026
From 0:36:22 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 204 would remove price controls on household-goods movers. A committee member asked whether eliminating standard rates could lead to price gouging. The sponsor responded that competition in a free market would address pricing. No decision was recorded.
House Rules Committee, March 4, 2026
From 1:51:12 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: A committee member requested floor consideration of HB 204 and said the author had already requested it. No provisions were explained and no decision was recorded.
House Rules Committee, March 6, 2026
From 0:36:20 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 204 would remove the Department of Public Safety's authority to control prices for moving household goods. The sponsor requested consideration. There were no questions or recorded decisions.
Status timeline
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Dale Washburn (R, HD-144)
- Alan Powell (R, HD-33)
- Jason Ridley (R, HD-6)
- Jordan Ridley (R, HD-22)
- Ginny Ehrhart (R, HD-36)
Topics
- motor carrier regulation
- moving companies
- household goods transport
- Department of Public Safety
- consumer pricing rules