§47-1-20. State measurement laboratory.

(a) The commissioner shall operate and maintain a state measurement laboratory certified and approved by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The laboratory shall be used to both house and maintain the state primary standards and secondary standards as traceable to the national standards and to test or calibrate any secondary or working standards which are submitted for test as required by this article.

(b) The commissioner shall promulgate rules, pursuant to §29A-1-1 et seq. of this code to assess fees for weights and measures, laboratory calibration, and testing. All fees paid pursuant to this section shall be paid to the Commissioner of Labor and deposited into an appropriated special revenue account in the State Treasury to be known as the Weights and Measures Fund and expended for the implementation and enforcement of this article. Through June 30, 2019, amounts collected which are found from time to time to exceed the funds needed for the purposes set forth in this article may be utilized by the commissioner as needed to meet the division’s funding obligations: Provided, That beginning July 1, 2019, amounts collected may not be utilized by the commissioner as needed to meet the division’s funding obligations.

(c) The commissioner shall provide such personnel as required to operate the laboratory in a manner which is consistent with the needs of this article. Personnel shall be trained and certified to perform all such calibrations and tests as required by the National Institute of Standards and Technology to maintain traceability of the state standards to national standards, and to properly maintain the laboratory facility as certified and traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology.