Legislature(1993 - 1994)
03/16/1993 01:55 PM Senate L&C
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SENATOR KELLY said they would work on the bill and try to get back to it on Thursday and announced SB 152 WEIGHTS & MEASURES: INSPECTIONS/CITATIONS to be up for consideration. KEN LEAF, Aide for Senator Taylor, read a statement explaining that SB 152 reestablishes the Weights and Measures officials' authority for the effective administration and enforcement of Weights and Measures regulations, to enforce registration fees and the requirements of the regulations, and to increase program receipts by insuring that all who are obliged pay. SB 152 will decrease the frequency of Weights and Measures inspections while increasing the potency. It will provide funding for new weights and measures devices used for testing registration. AVES THOMPSON, Chief of Weights & Measures, supported SB 152. He said changing this to an annual requirement will allow them to direct their efforts to those devices that need more attention and to allow those devices that need less attention to go for a longer period of time without inspection. SENATOR LINCOLN asked him how many inspections he does a year and in what kinds of areas does he do them. MR. THOMPSON replied they do approximately 16,000 device inspections per year. A third of those are probably in the fishing industry located in Western, Southeast, and Southcentral Alaska. He said there is a need for them to go into remote areas, particularly where there are heating oil meters. Number 568 SENATOR LINCOLN asked if they would save enough money by reducing the present number of inspections to go into areas they haven't been in previously? MR. THOMPSON said this bill would free up some money, although they wouldn't be able to cover the entire state on their existing budget. SENATOR LINCOLN said she would like to see a plan for Weights and Measures and how that would affect their budget overall. SENATOR KELLY asked him to explain line 15 - "(4) commits a violation identified under AS 45.75.380." MR. THOMPSON explained that is a list of offenses and penalties. TAPE 93-19, SIDE B Number 580 SENATOR KELLY asked if clients could be fined if they are out of compliance and Weights and Measure doesn't get around to checking them for a year. MR. THOMPSON replied that probably technically they could, although he certainly wouldn't encourage that type of activity. SENATOR RIEGER asked the penalty for an overweight or oversize vehicle violation. MR. THOMPSON explained the overweight penalty is 5 cents per pound and the oversize penalty is scaled and not to exceed $300. SENATOR KELLY asked how much money they have received in fines. MR. THOMPSON said he would find that out for him. He explained that he didn't want to necessarily make revenue based on fines, but rather wanted the device owner to pay the registration fee which is the major source of income for his Division. WENDY MULDER, Legislative Liaison, Department of Commerce, explained the intent of the bill was to give some authority to Weights and Measures if device owners don't register or are habitually out of compliance. They estimate generating $100,000. SENATOR PEARCE moved to pass SB 152 with fiscal note from committee with individual recommendations. Senator Lincoln objected. Senator Kelly, Senator Rieger, Senator Pearce, and Senator Salo voted yes and Senator Lincoln voted no and SB 152 was passed from committee.
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