What's happening
This bill allows Westchester County to designate its commissioner or director of consumer affairs as its director of weights and measures.
Why it matters
Streamlines oversight and enforcement. Allowing Westchester County to name its consumer affairs commissioner or director as the director of weights and measures could help unify consumer protection and measurement standards enforcement under one official, potentially leading to more consistent and efficient regulation of commercial transactions (like gas pumps, grocery scales, etc.).
Increases local flexibility. The bill gives Westchester County flexibility to organize its departments in a way that fits local needs, rather than following a one-size-fits-all state requirement. This could help the county address overlaps or gaps between consumer affairs and weights and measures oversight.
Potential for cost savings and efficiency. By combining these roles, Westchester may reduce administrative overhead and improve response times for both consumer complaints and regulatory inspections, which could benefit residents and businesses alike.
Exemption from certain requirements. The bill specifically exempts Westchester’s designated consumer affairs official from subdivision four of section 180, which may remove certain state-imposed qualifications or duties, thereby further customizing the role to local circumstances.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Let Westchester Share Director
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Signed chap.350
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Home rule request
- Ordered to third reading cal.499
- Substituted for A4074A
- Referred to agriculture
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 56–4
- Home rule request
- Advanced to third reading
Show 3 earlier actions
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.555
- Referred to agriculture
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Let Westchester Combine Roles
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Amy Paulin
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5110
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
April 9, 2019
Introduced by Sen. HARCKHAM -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to municipal directors of weights and measures
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 180 of the agriculture and markets law, as amended by section 1 of part EE of chapter 56 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
1. There shall be a county director of weights and measures in each county, except where (a) a county is wholly embraced within a city there shall be a city director of weights and measures, or (b) where two or more counties have entered into an intermunicipal agreement, pursuant to article five-G of the general municipal law, to share the functions, powers, and duties of one director of weights and measures. Any county or city having a population of one million or more may elect to designate its commissioner of consumer affairs as its director of weights and measures. The county of Westchester may elect to designate its commissioner or director of consumer affairs as its director of weights and measures. Subdivision four of this section shall not apply to a commissioner or director of consumer affairs so designated.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01126-03-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to municipal directors of weights and measures
Purpose
To afford Westchester County the ability to designate its commissioner or director of consumer affairs as its director of weights and measures.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends subdivision 1 of section 180 of the agriculture and markets law to provide that Westchester County may elect to designate its commissioner or director of consumer affairs as its director of weights and measures.
Section 2 provides the effective date.
Justification
Pursuant to section 180 of the Agriculture and Markets Law, any county or city having a population of one million or more may elect to desig- nate its director of Consumer Affairs as its director of Weights and Measures. In Westchester County, the Weights and Measures Division is within the Department of Consumer Protection. The County has both a director of Weights and Measures and a director of Consumer Protection. So the current structure is two directors who essentially share an office; however one individual lacks full jurisdiction over the affairs of the entire office.
The population of Westchester County is currently just below one million. It would make sense to have one individual serving as head of both Consumer Affairs and Weights and Measures, and holding jurisdiction over the entire office. Westchester County should be granted parity with other counties having a population over one million and should have the same advantage of being able to designate its commissioner or director of Consumer Affairs as its director of Weights and Measures.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This bill shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.