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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 23, 2017 10:11 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Paul Costa |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Expansion of the Consolidated Weights and Measurements Act |
| Consumer protection is a critical part of the work done by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Rides and Measurements is no exception. Almost everything we buy is sold by weight, volume, length, count, or measure. For years, the inspectors at the Department of Agriculture have been working behind the scenes to make sure consumers get what they pay for and assure equity in the marketplace. In recent years, many local municipalities have eliminated their own weights and measurement programs, relying more heavily on the Department of Agriculture to inspect countless number of devices. The resources needed to complete these inspections is not proportionate with demand. Change is needed. This legislation will expand the ability to use licensed private-sector inspectors (Certified Examiners of Weights and Measures) to inspect truck mounted fuel oil meters and retail vehicle fuel dispensers. By allowing CEWM’s these additional responsibilities it will significantly reduce the demand placed on the state’s Weights and Measurement program and ultimately allow them to focus on the accuracy of other measurement devices. Additionally, this legislation would assess a reasonable user fee to cover the costs of administering the program so that it is no longer reliant on the Motor License Fund. The enactment of a reasonable user fee will free up to $5 million Motor License Fund dollars to be used to repair our Commonwealth’s infrastructure that so desperately needs it. Please consider supporting this consumer protection legislation. |
Introduced as HB1671