Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman signed a bill last month that aims to boost the quality of moving services in the state by eliminating illegal operators.

Under existing Alabama law, movers may challenge a competitor’s entry into the market through the Alabama Public Service Commission, which holds hearings to determine if the new company will meet a public need. The new law would exempt moving companies that operate primarily within one county and immediately adjoining counties from obtaining a certificate of public convenience and necessity, which some operators have used as an excuse for not registering with the state and operating outside regulations. Companies entering the moving business still must meet PSC guidelines.
The law takes effect in August.
A 1994 federal law deregulated much of the trucking industry but left regulation in place for household movers, a move with which the PSC agrees. "It makes sense to regulate household movers more closely than other trucking companies," PSC spokeswoman Karen Gaston told the Associated Press. "When you're dealing with household goods and you're dealing with individual homeowners, it gives them an increased level of protection," Gaston said.