§8-16-7. Powers of commissioner and local sealers in supervising weights and measures.

(a) When not otherwise provided by law, the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries within the state, the county sealer within the county and the city sealer within the city shall have the power and it shall be their duty to inspect, test, try, and ascertain if they are correct all weights, measures, and weighing or measuring devices kept, offered, or exposed for sale, sold, used, or employed in proving the size, quantity, extent, area, or measurement of quantities, things, produce, or articles for distribution or consumption purchased or offered or submitted for sale, hire, or reward, in computing any charge for services rendered on the basis of weight or measure or in determining weight or measure when a charge is made for such determination.

(b) They shall have the power to, and shall from time to time, weigh or measure and inspect packages or amounts of commodities of whatsoever kind kept for the purpose of sale, offered, or exposed for sale, sold, or in the process of delivery in order to determine whether the same contain the amount represented and whether they are offered for sale or sold in a manner in accordance with the law.

(c) They shall, at least once each year and more often as they may deem necessary, see that all weights, measures, and weighing or measuring devices used are correct.

(d) They, for the purpose above mentioned and in the general performance of their official duties, at any reasonable time, may enter and go into or upon, without formal warrant, any stand, place, building, or premises or stop any vendor, peddler, junk dealer, coal wagon, ice wagon, delivery wagon, or any person whatsoever and require him or her, if necessary, to proceed to some place which the local sealer may specify for the purpose of making the proper test.

(e) The commissioner may perform such testing of weighing or measuring devices through a registered service agent. The commissioner's duty to inspect and test weighing or measuring devices used for commercial transaction is fulfilled by the registered service agent's inspection and test for accuracy.

(f) A registered service agent shall perform the inspection and test of weighing and measuring devices in accordance with the rules promulgated by the Board of Agriculture and Industries. The registered service agent who performs the recalibration or repair may be, but is not required to be, the same registered service agent who performed the inspection. The registered service agent who performs the inspection and test of weighing and measuring devices may be an agent or employee of the owner or an affiliate of the owner of the weighing and measuring devices.

(g) The Department of Agriculture and Industries shall approve a decal and upon approval, the department shall provide a decal to registered service agents. After the device meets all requirements as promulgated by the Board of Agriculture and Industries the registered service agent shall place an approved decal conspicuously on the weighing or measuring device.

(h) The registered service agent shall provide all inspection and test reports of the weighing or measuring devices to the commissioner. The commissioner may adopt a uniform reporting system to be utilized by all registered services.

(i) The commissioner may adopt a system to periodically monitor, inspect, or test such weighing or measuring devices to check the accuracy of the work of the registered service agent.

(j) The power conferred on the commissioner in subsection (d) shall not apply to a registered service agent.

(k) Beginning October 1, 2013, the commissioner may suspend or revoke the certificate of registration of a registered service agent for violating any provisions of this article.

(l) If the certificate of registration of a registered service agent has been suspended or revoked, then the service agent may not register with the department as a service agent for at least one year.

(m) Whenever the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries or a local sealer of weights and measures finds a violation of the statutes relating to weights and measures, he or she shall cause the violator to be prosecuted.

(n) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the testing, inspection, and examination of all weights, measures, and weighing or measuring devices is subject to the oversight authority of the commissioner as set forth hereinabove.

(Ag. Code 1927, §236; Code 1940, T. 2, §595; Act 2013-212, p. 485, §1.)