ASSEMBLY, No. 392

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Assemblywoman HECK

An Act concerning registration and inspection fees for weights and measures and supplementing Title 51 of the Revised Statutes.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. All weights and measures used or possessed for current use within any county may be registered with the superintendent of weights and measures of that county. The county superintendent may charge a registration fee to cover the costs of registering, inspecting or testing weighing or measuring devices. Weights and measures which are subject to this act shall include, but are not limited to the following:

    a. Weights and measures for buying or selling any commodity or object;

    b. Weights and measures for hire or award;

    c. Weights and measures for computing any charge or payment of services rendered on the basis of weight and measurement; and

    d. Weights and measures for determining any weight and measure for a charge.

    2. An applicant for registration shall submit an application to the county superintendent and, if required by the county superintendent, pay the appropriate registration fee established in section 5 of this act.

    3. a. All registrations for a weight and measure will expire one year from the effective date of the registration.

    b. A registration may be renewed annually for an additional one year term, if the applicant is the owner or possessor of a weight and measure, pays the applicable fee and submits a renewal application on a form provided by the county superintendent.

    c. The owner or possessor of a weight and measure shall display the registration conspicuously at each place of business where the weight and measure is located.

    d. If the weight and measure is sold, transferred, or moved to a new location, the owner or possessor of a weight and measure shall notify the county superintendent.

    4. The county superintendent shall have the authority to collect fees for the inspection and testing of all weights and measures, weighing and measuring devices and systems and accessories related thereto within his jurisdiction.

    5. The fees for registering, inspecting and testing each weight and measure used for commercial purposes under this act shall be as follows:

CHARGE                                                                     LATE

FEE SCHEDULE                                                                   PENALTY

Scales and Meters

    Scales                                  $25 each                               $10 each

    Fuel Pump Dispensers        $25 per hose                         $10 per hose

    Fuel Truck Meters              $75 per meter                        $25per meter

    Rack Meters                        $75 each                               $25 each

    Pill Counters                       $10 each                               $ 5 each

    Scanners                             $10 each                               $ 5 each

    Measuregraphs                   $10 each                               $ 5 each

Timing Devices

    Tire Inflators                       $10 each                               $ 5 each

    Vacuums                             $10 each                               $ 5 each

    Laundromat Dryers

       Machines                          $10 each          $ 5 each

    Self-Service Car

       Wash Apparatus               $10 each                               $ 5 each

    6. Payment of the fee is due within 30 days of the registration, inspection or testing of the weight and measure, and payments submitted after 30 days shall include the late charge penalty, as listed in section 5 of this act for each week that the registration is late, in addition to the registration, inspection or testing fee.

    7. All fees collected under this act shall be deposited into a special fund established by each county and shall be used solely to pay for the expenses incurred by the county for the registration, inspection and testing activities established by this act.

    8. Any weight or measure which is not included in the fee schedule established in section 5 of this act, and which is used or possessed for use after the effective date of this act, will be subject to a fee to be determined by the county superintendent of the county where the weight and measure is located.

     9. This act shall take effect on the 90th day after enactment.

STATEMENT

    This bill would establish an optional system in which a county office of weights and measures could require the registration for a fee, of all weights and measures within the jurisdiction of the county superintendent of weights and measures.

    The bill provides that if the county so chooses, all weights and measures used or possessed for current use would be required to be registered with the county superintendent of weights and measures. The county superintendent is authorized to charge a registration fee to defray the costs of registering, inspecting or testing weighing or measuring devices. The weights and measures which would be subject to the provisions of the bill include: weights and measures for buying or selling any commodity or object; weights and measures for hire or award; weights and measures for computing any charge or payment of services rendered on the basis of weight and measurement; and weights and measures for determining any weight and measure for a charge, such as tire inflators, laundromat dryers and self-service car wash apparatus.

    The bill would require that an applicant for registration submit an application to the county superintendent and pay the appropriate registration fee, if required by the county superintendent. All registrations for a weight and measure would be for a period of one year and renewals would be granted upon submission of a renewal application along with the applicable renewal fee.

    The bill provides that the owner of a weight and measure would be required to display the registration conspicuously at each place of business where the weight and measure is located. If the weight and measure is sold, transferred, or moved to a new location, the bill provides that the owner of a weight and measure must notify the county superintendent.

    The bill also grants to the county superintendent the authority to establish and collect fees for the inspection and testing of all weights and measures, weighing and measuring devices and systems, and accessories related to these devices and systems that are located within the county of his jurisdiction. A fee schedule is established which lists the registration, inspection or testing fee for scales and meters and timing devices. If a weight or measure is not currently included in the fee schedule, the bill provides that any such weight or measure used or possessed for use after the effective date of the act, may be subject to a fee to be determined by the county superintendent of weights and measures where the weighty or measure is located.

    All fees which would be collected in connection with the requirements of this bill are to be deposited into a special fund established by each county and further provides that the fees are to be used to pay for the expenses incurred in connection with the activities connected to the registration and inspection of weights and measures.

Establishes optional program of weights and measures registration and inspection fees.