CBS) CHICAGO Bad builders beware. A tough new law to regulate contractors was introduced in the state legislature Monday, the direct result of reports by the CBS 2 investigators.

More than 23 other states already license general contractors because they oversee the biggest investment of your life.

And as CBS 2’s Pam Zekman has been reporting for years, all too often bad builders leave homeowners financially and emotionally devastated.

The shoddy work of a bad builder left Camille White with a Chicago basement that floods each time it rains.

"I can't take this anymore. This sucks," White said.
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Others are left with structural defects like that could cause walls to collapse or extensive termite damage covered up by new plasterboard that made one home too dangerous to live in.

"It was a cover-up It was a scam. And we got nailed,” said Chicago resident Vicki Klups.

And then there are builders who will take your money and do no work at all.

"There was nothing I could do to make him get out there and put up the house up. I had no power," said Homewood resident Victoria Thompson.

Now a bill has been introduced in Springfield that will give the state and homeowners new powers to battle contractors who are incompetent, negligent and deceptive.

"I had not thought of drafting this legislation until I had seen the exposes you have done," said state Rep. Jack Franks. "We have to make sure that those people are not conducting business in the state of Illinois."

Under the proposed law, contractors would have to be licensed by the state. To get a license, they would need to have four years of construction experience, undergo a criminal history check, and disclose all court settlements and judgments -- information that would be made available to the public.

"People need to know who they are dealing with, and right now they don't," Franks said.

Bull Valley residents Richard Garcia and his wife would have never hired John Volpentesta to build their new home had they known about his history.

It includes dozens of lawsuits filed by contractors and former clients and a conviction for bank fraud.

"I'm furious that the man can get away with this, taking our money not doing the work that he was contracted to do," Garcia said.

The proposed law also gives duped clients the right to file a complaint with the state.

In May 2004, homeowners picketed JCS Design after they gave money to the company to pay subcontractors who were never paid. .

Bruce Johnson of JCS Design wouldn't answer their questions.

But under the proposed law, he'd have to answer questions posed by state regulators or risk losing his license.

Johnson did file for bankruptcy, apparently to avoid paying all the claims against his old company. Then he opened up a new company -- a name game the new law could prevent.

"We are not going to let these guys hide under the bankruptcy laws, these bad actors,” Franks said. “I'm going to close that door, not a chance."

The two contractors named in this story, Volpentesta and Johnson, could not be reached for comment, but in the past they have denied doing anything wrong.

They have blamed construction disputes on homeowners, who change their minds about work to be done or blame them for work that was not specified in their contracts.