BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 1656
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 30, 2001

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                              Carole Migden, Chairwoman

                   AB 1656 (Goldberg) - As Amended:  May 15, 2001 

          Policy Committee:                              Business and  
          Professions  Vote:                            7-3

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill:

          1)Requires self-service storage facilities that move household  
            goods, in containers that have been loaded by customers, to  
            register with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in  
            accordance with regulations adopted by the PUC.

          2)Requires a storage company to obtain a customer's written  
            acknowledgement of the company's right to move a storage  
            container from its initial storage location, and allows the  
            customer to refuse this type of move.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          1)Minor one-time special funds costs (less than $100,000) for  
            the PUC to adopt the required regulations.

          2)Minor absorbable ongoing cost for the PUC to enforce the  
            requirements placed on self-storage facilities.

           COMMENTS  

           Purpose  .  The author notes that current law provides that the  
          transportation by a self-service storage facility of portable  
          containers of used household goods and personal effects is  
          exempt from regulation by the PUC if the facility complies with  
          specified requirements.  The bill is intended to enhance  
          consumer protections by requiring self-service storage  
          facilities to register with the PUC as well as ensuring that  
          consumers understand that the container with their household  








                                                                  AB 1656
                                                                  Page  2

          goods may be moved away from the storage facility where the  
          container was originally stored unless they refuse such a move.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916)319-2081