State lawmakers have voted to trim — but not eliminate — the right of moving companies to hold a homeowner's goods over payment disputes.

State officials say the proposed law doesn’t go far enough.

Tara Sytsma moved from the Valley to Prescott last year. After being quoted $700, movers arrived with her belongings and demanded twice as much. She felt like she was being ripped off.

“But I paid the money because they refused to open the truck. And everything we owned was on there,” Sytsma said.

She told her story to the Arizona Senate Committee on Commerce and Public Safety on Monday.

The president of the Arizona Trucking Association testified customers would have no incentive to pay anything if the practice was completely outlawed. Lawmakers then stripped down the proposal to require only what was quoted on the original estimate for one’s goods to be released. 

Assistant Attorney General Matthew du Mee said the new version is acceptable but that the state must continue to intervene on behalf of consumers, because.

“Movers will use a low-ball estimate in order to get business that couldn’t be gotten at the other price,” he said.

The amended bill moves to the full Senate for consideration.