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The Legislative Service Commission staff updates the Revised Code on an ongoing basis, as it completes its act review of enacted legislation. Updates may be slower during some times of the year, depending on the volume of enacted legislation.

Chapter 1327 | Weights And Measures

 
 
 
Section
Section 1327.291 | Prohibited agreements to gain competitive advantage in sale of milk or milk products.
 

No milk dealer shall directly or indirectly through arrangements with other persons provide refrigerated bulk milk dispensers or parts or accessories thereof to any other person as a means of awarding a premium, rebate, or discount in order to gain competitive advantage in the sale of milk or milk products. Whenever any such item is provided or sold at less than its prevailing wholesale price, it shall be presumed it was provided as a premium, rebate, or discount.

Section 1327.46 | Standard provisions definitions.
 

As used in sections 1327.46 to 1327.61 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Weights and measures" means all weights and measures of every kind, instruments and devices for weighing and measuring, and any appliances and accessories associated with any such instruments and devices, except that "weights and measures" shall not be construed to include meters for the measurement of electricity, gas, whether natural or manufactured, or water when the same are operated in a public utility system. Such electricity, gas, and water meters, and appliances or accessories associated therewith, are specifically excluded from the purview of the weights and measures laws.

(B) "Intrastate commerce" means all commerce or trade that is begun, carried on, and completed wholly within the limits of this state, and "introduced into intrastate commerce" defines the time and place in which the first sale and delivery of a commodity is made within the state, the delivery being made either directly to the purchaser or to a common carrier for shipment to the purchaser.

(C) "Package" means any commodity put up or packaged in any manner in advance of sale in units suitable for either wholesale or retail sale.

(D) "Consumer package" means a package that is customarily produced or distributed for sale through a retail sales agency for consumption by an individual or use by an individual.

(E) "Weight" as used in connection with any commodity means net weight.

(F) "Correct" as used in connection with weights and measures means conformity with all applicable requirements of sections 1327.46 to 1327.61 of the Revised Code and rules adopted pursuant to those sections.

(G) "Reference standards" means the physical standards of the state that serve as the legal reference from which all other standards and weights and measures are derived.

(H) "Working standards" means the physical standards that are traceable to the reference standards through comparisons, using acceptable laboratory procedures, and used in the enforcement of weights and measures laws and rules.

(I) "Sale from bulk" means the sale of commodities when the quantity is determined at the time of sale.

(J) "Net weight" means the weight of a commodity, excluding any materials, substances, or items not considered to be a part of the commodity. Materials, substances, or items not considered to be part of the commodity include, but are not limited to, containers, conveyances, bags, wrappers, packaging materials, labels, individual piece coverings, decorative accompaniments, and coupons.

(K) "Random weight package" means a package that is one of a lot, shipment, or delivery of packages of the same commodity with no fixed pattern of weights.

(L) "Sold" includes keeping, offering, or exposing for sale.

(M) "Commercially used weighing and measuring device" means a device described in the national institute of standards and technology handbook 44 or its supplements and revisions and any other weighing and measuring device designated by rules adopted under division (C) of section 1327.50 of the Revised Code. "Commercially used weighing and measuring device" includes, but is not limited to, a livestock scale, vehicle scale, railway scale, vehicle tank meter, bulk rack meter, and LPG meter.

(N) "Livestock scale" means a scale equipped with stock racks and gates that is adapted to weighing livestock standing on the scale platform.

(O) "Vehicle scale" means a scale that is adapted to weighing highway, farm, or other large industrial vehicles other than railroad cars.

(P) "Railway scale" means a rail scale that is designed to weigh railroad cars.

(Q) "Vehicle tank meter" means a vehicle mounted device that is designed for the measurement and delivery of liquid products from a tank.

(R) "Bulk rack meter" means a wholesale device, usually mounted on a rack, that is designed for the measurement and delivery of liquid products.

(S) "LPG meter" means a system, including a mechanism or machine of the meter type, that is designed to measure and deliver liquefied petroleum gas in the liquid state by a definite quantity whether installed in a permanent location or mounted on a vehicle.

(T) "Service person" means an individual who installs, services, repairs, reconditions, or places into service a commercially used weighing and measuring device for any type of compensation.

Section 1327.47 | Customary system of weights and measures - metric system.
 

The system of weights and measures in customary use in the United States and the metric system of weights and measures are jointly recognized, and one or the other of these systems shall be used for all commercial purposes in this state. The definitions of basic units of weight and measure, the tables of weight and measure, and weights and measures equivalents, as published by the national institute of standards and technology, are recognized and shall govern weighing and measuring equipment and transactions in this state.

Section 1327.48 | State reference standards of weights and measures.
 

Weights and measures that are traceable to the United States prototype standards supplied by the federal government, or approved as being satisfactory by the national institute of standards and technology, shall be the state reference standards of weights and measures, and shall be maintained in such calibration as is prescribed by the national institute of standards and technology. All working standards may be prescribed by the director of agriculture and shall be verified upon their initial receipt, and as often as found necessary by the director.

Section 1327.49 | Standards for commercial weighing and measuring devices.
 

The specifications, tolerances, and regulations for commercial weighing and measuring devices, as adopted by the national conference on weights and measures, recommended by the national institute of standards and technology and published in national institute of standards and technology handbook 44, shall be the specifications, tolerances, and regulations for commercial weighing and measuring devices of the state, except insofar as specifically modified, amended, or rejected by rule by the director of agriculture.

Supplements to and revisions of the above publication shall be subject to adoption by the director of agriculture, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.

Section 1327.50 | Director of agriculture - powers and duties.
 

The director of agriculture shall:

(A) Maintain traceability of the state standards to those of the international system of units;

(B) Enforce sections 1327.46 to 1327.61 of the Revised Code;

(C) Issue reasonable rules for the uniform enforcement of sections 1327.46 to 1327.61 of the Revised Code, which rules shall have the force and effect of law;

(D) Establish standards of weight, measure, or count, reasonable standards of fill, and standards for the voluntary presentation of cost per unit information for any package;

(E) Grant any exemptions from sections 1327.46 to 1327.61 of the Revised Code, or any rules adopted under those sections, when appropriate to the maintenance of good commercial practices in the state;

(F) Conduct investigations to ensure compliance with sections 1327.46 to 1327.61 of the Revised Code;

(G) Delegate to appropriate personnel any of these responsibilities for the proper administration of the director's office;

(H) Test as often as is prescribed by rule the standards of weight and measure used by any municipal corporation or county within the state, and approve the same when found to be correct;

(I) Inspect and test weights and measures that are sold;

(J) Inspect and test to ascertain if they are correct, weights and measures commercially used either:

(1) In determining the weight, measure, or count of commodities or things sold on the basis of weight, measure, or count;

(2) In computing the basic charge or payment for goods or services rendered on the basis of weight, measure, or count.

(K) Test all weights and measures used in checking the receipt or disbursement of supplies in every institution, for the maintenance of which funds are appropriated by the general assembly;

(L) Approve for use, and may mark, such weights and measures as the director finds to be correct, and shall reject and mark as rejected such weights and measures as the director finds to be incorrect. Weights and measures that have been rejected may be seized if not corrected within the time specified or if used or disposed of in a manner not specifically authorized, and may be condemned and seized if found to be incorrect and not capable of being made correct.

(M) Weigh, measure, or inspect packaged commodities that are sold or in the process of delivery to determine whether they contain the amounts represented and whether they are sold in accordance with sections 1327.46 to 1327.61 of the Revised Code or rules adopted under those sections. In carrying out this section, the director shall employ recognized sampling procedures, such as those designated in the national institute of standards and technology handbook 133 "checking the net contents of packaged goods."

(N) Prescribe by rule the appropriate term or unit of weight or measure to be used, whenever the director determines in the case of a specific commodity that an existing practice of declaring the quantity by weight, measure, numerical count, or combination thereof, does not facilitate value comparisons by consumers, or offers an opportunity for consumer confusion;

(O) Allow reasonable variations from the stated quantity of contents, which shall include those caused by unavoidable deviations in good manufacturing practice and by loss or gain of moisture during the course of good distribution practice, only after the commodity has entered intrastate commerce;

(P) Provide for the weights and measures training of inspector personnel and establish minimum training requirements, which shall be met by all inspector personnel, whether county, municipal, or state;

(Q) Prescribe the methods of tests and inspections to be employed in the enforcement of sections 1327.46 to 1327.61 of the Revised Code. The director may prescribe the official test and inspection forms to be used.

(R) Provide by rule for registration with the director of service persons who are employed by commercially used weighing and measuring device servicing agencies;

(S) In conjunction with the national institute of standards and technology, operate a type evaluation program for certification of weighing and measuring devices as part of the national type evaluation program. The director shall establish a schedule of fees for services rendered by the department of agriculture for type evaluation services. The director may require any weighing or measuring instrument or device to be traceable to a national type evaluation program certificate of conformance prior to use for commercial or law enforcement purposes.

(T) Verify advertised prices, price representations, and point-of-sale systems, as necessary, to determine both the accuracy of prices and computations and the correct use of the equipment and the accuracy of prices printed or recalled from a database if a system utilizes scanning or coding in lieu of manual entry. In order to implement this division, the director shall do all of the following:

(1) Employ recognized procedures such as those designated in the national institute of standards and technology handbook 130, uniform laws and regulations, "examination procedures for price verification";

(2) Adopt rules establishing requirements governing the accuracy of advertised prices and point-of-sale systems and establishing requirements and procedures for the enforcement of this division;

(3) Conduct necessary inspections.

Section 1327.501 | Weighing and measuring device operation permits.
 

(A) No person shall operate in this state a commercially used weighing and measuring device that provides the quantity or cost of a final transaction and for which a fee is established in division (G) of this section unless the operator of the device obtains a permit issued by the director of agriculture or the director's designee.

(B) An application for a permit shall be submitted to the director on a form that the director prescribes and provides. The applicant shall include with the application any information that is specified on the application form as well as the application fee established in this section.

(C) Upon receipt of a completed application and the required fee from an applicant, the director or the director's designee shall issue or deny the permit to operate the commercially used weighing and measuring device that was the subject of the application.

(D) A permit issued under this section expires on the thirtieth day of June of the year following its issuance and may be renewed annually on or before the first day of July of that year upon payment of a permit renewal fee established in this section.

(E) If a permit renewal fee is more than sixty days past due, the director may assess a late penalty in an amount established under this section.

(F) The director shall do both of the following:

(1) Establish procedures and requirements governing the issuance or denial of permits under this section;

(2) Establish late penalties to be assessed for the late payment of a permit renewal fee and fees for the replacement of lost or destroyed permits.

(G) An applicant for a permit to operate under this section shall pay an application fee in the following applicable amount:

(1) Seventy-five dollars for a livestock scale;

(2) Seventy-five dollars for a vehicle scale;

(3) Seventy-five dollars for a railway scale;

(4) Seventy-five dollars for a vehicle tank meter;

(5) Seventy-five dollars for a bulk rack meter;

(6) Seventy-five dollars for an LPG meter.

A person who is issued a permit under this section and who seeks to renew that permit shall pay an annual permit renewal fee. The amount of a permit renewal fee shall be equal to the application fee for that permit established in this division.

(H) All money collected through the payment of fees and the imposition of penalties under this section shall be credited to the metrology and scale certification and device permitting fund created in section 1327.511 of the Revised Code.

Section 1327.502 | Registration required.
 

A service person who is employed by a commercially used weighing and measuring device servicing agency shall register with the director of agriculture in accordance with rules adopted under section 1327.50 of the Revised Code.

Section 1327.51 | Entry on premises - orders to prevent violation - seizure of property - hearing.
 

(A) When necessary for the enforcement of sections 1327.46 to 1327.61 of the Revised Code or rules adopted pursuant thereto, the director of agriculture and any weights and measures official acting under the authority of section 1327.52 of the Revised Code may do any of the following:

(1) Enter any commercial premises during normal business hours, except that in the event such premises are not open to the public, the director or official shall first present the director's or official's credentials and obtain consent before making entry thereto, unless a search warrant previously has been obtained;

(2) Issue stop-use, hold, and removal orders with respect to any weights and measures commercially used, and stop-sale, hold, and removal orders with respect to any packaged commodities or bulk commodity observed to be or believed to be sold;

(3) Seize for use as evidence any incorrect or unapproved weight or measure or any package or commodity found to be used, retained, or sold in violation of sections 1327.46 to 1327.61 of the Revised Code or rules adopted pursuant thereto.

(B) The director shall afford an opportunity for a hearing in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to any owner or operator whose property is seized by the department of agriculture.

Section 1327.511 | Scale certification fund.
 

All money collected under sections 1327.50 and 1327.501 of the Revised Code from fees and for services rendered by the department of agriculture in operating the type evaluation program, a metrology laboratory program, and the device permitting program shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the metrology and scale certification and device permitting fund, which is hereby created. Money credited to the fund shall be used to pay operating costs incurred by the department in administering the programs.

Section 1327.52 | Jurisdiction of county weights and measures official.
 

Any weights and measures official elected or appointed for a county or municipality shall have the duties enumerated in divisions (I) to (M) of section 1327.50 of the Revised Code, and the powers enumerated in section 1327.51 of the Revised Code. These powers and duties shall extend to the respective jurisdictions, except that the jurisdiction of a county official shall not extend to any municipal corporation for which a weights and measures official has been appointed. The director of agriculture shall advise and assist these officials.

Section 1327.53 | Deceptive sales or buying practices.
 

No person shall do any of the following:

(A) Sell, offer, or expose for sale less than the quantity he represents;

(B) Take any more than the quantity he represents when, as a buyer, he furnishes the weight or measure by means of which the quantity is determined;

(C) Represent the quantity he sells or offers or exposes for sale in any manner tending to mislead or in any way to deceive.

Section 1327.54 | Misrepresentation of price of commodity or service.
 

No person shall misrepresent the price of any commodity or service sold or advertised for sale by weight, measure, or count, nor represent the price in any manner calculated or tending to mislead or in any way deceive a person.

Section 1327.55 | Methods of measuring commodities for sale.
 

Except as otherwise provided by the director of agriculture or by firmly established trade customs and practices, commodities shall be sold as follows:

(A) Commodities in liquid form shall be sold by liquid measure or by weight;

(B) Commodities not in liquid form shall be sold only by weight, measure, or county, or a combination thereof;

(C) The method of sale of commodities shall provide accurate quantity information that enables the buyer to make price and quantity comparisons.

Section 1327.56 | Delivery tickets.
 

Whenever the quantity is determined by the seller, every bulk sale in excess of twenty dollars and every bulk delivery of heating fuel shall be accompanied by a delivery ticket containing the following information:

(A) The name and address of the vendor and purchaser;

(B) The date delivered;

(C) The quantity delivered and the quantity upon which the price is based, if this differs from the delivered quantity;

(D) The identity in the most descriptive terms commercially practicable, including any quality representation made in connection with the sale;

(E) The count of individually wrapped packages, if more than one.

Section 1327.57 | Package declarations.
 

(A) Except as otherwise provided by law, any consumer package or commodity in package form introduced or delivered for introduction into or received in intrastate commerce or sold in intrastate commerce shall bear on the outside of the package a definite, plain, and conspicuous declaration, as may be prescribed by rule adopted by the director of agriculture, of any of the following, as applicable:

(1) The identity of the commodity in the package unless the same can easily be identified through the wrapper or container;

(2) The net quantity of the contents in terms of weight, measure, or count;

(3) In the case of any package sold at any place other than on the premises where packed, the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor.

This section does not apply to beer or intoxicating liquor as defined in section 4301.01 of the Revised Code, or packages thereof, or to malt or brewer's wort, or packages thereof.

(B) Under division (A)(2) of this section, neither the qualifying term "when packed" or any words of similar import, nor any term qualifying a unit of weight, measure, or count that tends to exaggerate the amount of commodity in a package, shall be used.

(C) In addition to the declarations required by division (A) of this section, any package or commodity in package form, if the package is one of a lot containing random weights, measures, or counts of the same commodity and bears the total selling price of the package, shall bear on the outside of the package a plain and conspicuous declaration of the price per single unit of weight, measure, or count.

(D) No package or commodity in package form shall be so wrapped, nor shall it be in a container so made, formed, or filled, as to mislead the purchaser as to the quantity of the contents of the package, and the contents of a container shall not fall below any reasonable standard of fill that may have been prescribed for the commodity in question by the director.

Section 1327.571 | Declaration of quantity included in advertising - posted prices to include fraction.
 

(A) Whenever a package or commodity is advertised in any manner and the retail price of the package or commodity is stated in the advertisement, there shall be closely and conspicuously associated with the statement of price such a declaration of quantity as is required by law or rule to appear on the package or with the commodity. Where a dual declaration is required, only the declaration that sets forth the quantity in terms of the smaller unit of weight or measure need appear in the advertisement.

(B) Whenever an advertised, posted, or labeled price per unit of weight, measure, or count includes a fraction of a cent, all elements of the fraction or decimal shall be prominently displayed and the numeral or numerals expressing the fraction or decimal shall be immediately adjacent to, of the same general design and style as, and at least fifty per cent of the height and width of the numerals representing the whole cents.

Section 1327.58 | Temporary or permanent injunction.
 

Irrespective of whether or not there exists an adequate remedy at law, the director of agriculture may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for a temporary or permanent injunction or other appropriate relief restraining any person from continued violation of sections 1327.46 to 1327.61 of the Revised Code and of regulations promulgated thereunder.

Section 1327.59 | Presumptions.
 

Proof of the existence of a weight or measure or a weighing or measuring device in or about any building, enclosure, stand, or vehicle in which or from which it is shown that buying or selling is commonly carried on creates a rebuttable presumption of the use of such weight or measure or device for commercial purposes and of such use by the person in charge of such building, enclosure, stand, or vehicle.

Section 1327.60 | Prior sections unaffected.
 

Enactment of sections 1327.46 to 1327.61 of the Revised Code does not affect any regulations promulgated pursuant to the authority of any earlier enabling statute unless inconsistent with sections 1327.46 to 1327.61 of the Revised Code or modified or revoked by the director of agriculture.

Section 1327.61 | Prohibited acts.
 

No person shall do any of the following:

(A) Use or have in possession for use in commerce any incorrect weight or measure;

(B) Wrap, package, label, or advertise any product or service contrary to this chapter, or any rules adopted under it, or sell, offer, hold, or expose for sale any service or product wrapped, packaged, labeled, or offered for sale contrary to this chapter or any rules adopted under it, or misrepresent the quantity or price or service contrary to this chapter, or any rules adopted under it;

(C) Remove any tag, seal, or mark from any weight or measure without specific written authorization from the proper authority;

(D) Recklessly install for use, repair, service, or place into service a commercially used weighing and measuring device unless the installation, repair, service, or placement is performed by one of the following:

(1) A department of agriculture division of weights and measures inspector;

(2) A service person registered with the department;

(3) A county or municipal weights and measures inspector.

(E) Hinder or obstruct any weights and measures official in the performance of official duties;

(F) Sell or offer for use in commerce any incorrect weight or measure.

Section 1327.62 | Civil penalty.
 

Whenever the director of agriculture, or the director's designee, has cause to believe that any person has violated, or is violating any provision of sections 1327.46 to 1327.61 of the Revised Code or a rule adopted under them, the director, or the director's designee, may conduct a hearing in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to determine whether a violation has occurred. If the director or the director's designee determines that the person has violated or is violating any provision of sections 1327.46 to 1327.61 of the Revised Code or a rule adopted under it, the director or the director's designee may assess a civil penalty against the person. The person is liable for a civil penalty of not more than five hundred dollars for a first violation; for a second violation the person is liable for a civil penalty of not more than two thousand five hundred dollars; for each subsequent violation that occurs within five years after the second violation, the person is liable for a civil penalty of not more than ten thousand dollars.

Any person assessed a civil penalty under this section shall pay the amount prescribed to the department of agriculture. The department shall remit all moneys collected under this section to the treasurer of state for deposit in the general revenue fund.

Section 1327.65 | Hearing prior to filing criminal charges.
 

Prior to filing criminal charges under section 1327.99 of the Revised Code, the director of agriculture shall provide the person accused of the violation an opportunity for a hearing before the director to discuss the charges and offer evidence in mitigation of the charges.

Section 1327.70 | Uniform motor fuel quality testing program.
 

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Diesel fuel" has the same meaning as in section 5735.01 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Motor fuel" means gasoline or diesel fuel that is sold by a retailer.

(B) The director of agriculture may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code establishing a motor fuel quality testing program that is uniform throughout the state.

Section 1327.99 | Penalty.
 

Whoever violates section 1327.501 or 1327.54 or division (A), (B), (C), (D), or (E) of section 1327.61 of the Revised Code or a rule adopted under sections 1327.46 to 1327.61 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree on a first offense; on each subsequent offense within seven years after the first offense, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.