NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1975 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 366

HOUSE BILL 569

 

 

AN ACT TO PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY BY REQUIRING HOUSE MOVERS TO BE LICENSED.

 

Whereas, the house movers of North Carolina offer a valuable and needed service in the moving of houses, historical buildings, and other extraordinary objects wider than 12 feet with the exception of road construction and mining machinery; and

Whereas, the State of North Carolina encourages preservation of historical buildings and other historical landmarks; and

Whereas, the profession of house moving is an honorable and exacting profession requiring expert knowledge in the process of moving unusual loads in a safe manner; and

Whereas, the house movers seek to upgrade their profession by setting professional standards for moving houses and other unusual loads in a manner ensuring safety for the public and to the fixed objects along the highways of North Carolina; Now, therefore,

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  Chapter 136 of the General Statutes is hereby amended by adding new Article 2C to read as follows:

"ARTICLE 2C.

"§ 136-44.30.  Creation of licensing board; membership; meetings; compensation. There is hereby created a House Movers Licensing Board consisting of seven members. The Governor shall appoint one member from the house moving industry, one member from the Department of Transportation and one member from the Highway Patrol. The Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor shall each appoint two members. The board shall elect one of its members as chairman and may elect a secretary, who need not be a member of the board. The board shall meet at the call of the chairman or upon the request of a majority of its members. The members shall receive as compensation for their services per diem and necessary travel and subsistence expenses in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 138-5.

"§ 136-44.31.  Powers of board. The House Movers Licensing Board shall have the following powers:

(a)        To promulgate such rules and regulations consistent with this Article covering applications for licenses and processing and issuing licenses, and such other matters reasonably necessary to enable the board to administer this Article, and promote the public safety in the moving of houses on State highways and roads.

(b)        To set minimum safety standards which must be met by persons engaged in the business of moving houses.

(c)        To perform such other activities as may be necessary to effectuate this Article.

"§ 136-44.32.  Issuance of licenses. No person shall engage in the business of moving houses on a State highway or road unless such person has obtained a license under the rules and regulations of the board and under the provisions of this Article. No person shall be licensed until he furnishes the board with proof that he has and will maintain personal injury liability insurance with limits of at least one hundred thousand dollars/three hundred thousand dollars ($100,000/$300,000); property damage insurance of at least fifty thousand dollars ($50,000); and indemnification bond in a minimum amount of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000). A license issued hereunder shall be effective for a period of one year from date of issuance. An annual license fee in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100.00) shall be paid to the board. All fees collected pursuant to this section shall be expended, under the direction of the board, for the purposes of defraying the expenses of administering this Article.

"§ 136-44.33.  Definition. 'Person' as used in this Article shall mean an individual, corporation, partnership, association or any other business entity. The word 'house' as used in this Article shall mean a dwelling, building or other structure in excess of 14 feet in width. This Article shall not apply to a farmer moving his own buildings, road construction machinery, mining machinery, nor farm machinery.

"§ 136-44.34.  Penalties. Any person violating the provisions of this Article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00), or imprisonment for not more than 30 days."

Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective on July 1, 1975.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 22nd day of May, 1975.