This bill amends several sections of the Weights and Measures Act in Nebraska, primarily to update the references to federal standards and adjust the fee structure associated with the registration and inspection of commercial weighing and measuring devices. Notably, the bill adopts updates to federal law by changing the reference date for the National Institute of Standards and Technology handbooks from January 1, 2019, to January 1, 2025. Additionally, it modifies the fee structure for various devices, significantly increasing the fees for registration and inspection, such as raising the fee for scales up to 35 pounds from $7.96 to $37.00, and for multiunit scales from $51.00 to $169.00.

The bill also introduces new provisions regarding the operation of weighing and measuring establishments, including the requirement for a valid permit to be posted and the stipulation that permits lapse automatically upon changes in ownership or location. It eliminates the previous requirement for a one-time permit fee and instead mandates the payment of annual device registration fees regardless of when the device is put into operation. Furthermore, it establishes an administrative fee for delinquent payments and specifies that permits become void if fees remain unpaid for 90 days after the due date. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage due to the declaration of an emergency.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 89-186, 89-187, 89-187.02, 89-187.05