§ 13b-412 — (Formerly Sec. 16-306). Illegal reduction of rate.

(a) Any carrier subject to the provisions of this chapter who, by means of false billing, false classification, false weighing or false report of weight, or by any other device or means, knowingly and wilfully assists or willingly permits any person to obtain transportation of household goods at less than the regular rates then established and in force on the line of transportation of such carrier, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars for each offense. (b) Any person, corporation or company, as consignor or consignee, who engages to transport household goods, or any carrier subject to the provisions of this chapter, who knowingly and wilfully, by false billing, false classification, false weighing, false representation of the contents of the shipment or the substance of the household goods, false report of weight or false statement, or by any other device or means, with the consent or connivance of the carrier, obtains or attempts to obtain transportation for such household goods at less than the regular rates then established and in force on the line of transportation; or who knowingly and wilfully, by false statement or representation as to cost, value, nature or extent of injury, or by the use of any false bill, bill of lading, receipt, voucher, roll, account, claim, certificate, affidavit or deposition knowing the same to be false, fictitious or fraudulent, or to contain any false, fictitious or fraudulent statement or entry, obtains or attempts to obtain any allowance, refund or payment for damage or otherwise in connection with or growing out of the transportation of or agreement to transport such household goods, with the consent or connivance of the carrier, whereby the compensation of such carrier for such transportation, either before or after payment, is, in fact, made less than the regular rates then established and in force on the line of transportation, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars for each offense. (c) If any such person, or any officer or agent of any such corporation or company, by payment of money or other thing of value, solicitation or otherwise, induces or attempts to induce any carrier subject to the provisions of this chapter, or any of its officers or agents, to discriminate unjustly in his or its favor as against any other consignor or consignee, in the transportation of household goods, or aids or abets any such carrier in any unjust discrimination, such person or such officer or agent of such corporation or company shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars for each offense; and such person, corporation or company shall, together with such carrier, be liable, jointly or severally, in an action to be brought by any consignor or consignee discriminated against for all damages resulting therefrom.

Legislative History

(1949 Rev., S. 5700; P.A. 95-126, S. 23, 25.) History: Sec. 16-306 transferred to Sec. 13b-412, effective July 1, 1989, in keeping with transfer of certain powers and duties of department of public utility control to transportation department by P.A. 88-249. (Revisor's note: Statute published in both Title 16 and Title 13b in the Connecticut General Statutes, Revision of 1958, revised to 1989); P.A. 95-126 deleted reference to “motor” before “carrier” and substituted “household goods” for “property” throughout section, effective July 1, 1995. Annotation to former section 16-306: When the motor freight tariff was increased the second month of plaintiffs' oral 3-month contract with defendant, plaintiffs were entitled to recover at the new rate for services for the balance of the contract. 31 CS 426.