Brief (1)
SB 640 would authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to adopt rules and regulations providing for inspection of vapor meters at intervals less frequently than annually. In adopting such rules and regulations, the Secretary would have to consider the inspection standard for vapor meters adopted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). (Vapor meters are used to measure the volume of liquified petroleum gas in the vapor state. Such meters are similar in design and operation to meters used by utilities to measure natural gas.)
Current law requires all commercially-used weighing and measuring devices, including vapor meters, to be inspected at least annually.
Background
SB 640 was supported by Marvin Spees who represented the Propane Marketers Association of Kansas. Mr. Spees explained that NIST requires vapor meters to be inspected every ten years. In addition, nobody in Kansas is certified to inspect these meters.
The introduced version of the bill was intended to conform the required frequency of vapor meter inspections to national standards by allowing the Secretary of Agriculture authority to promulgate rules and regulations to that end. The Senate Committee amended the bill to clarify intent.
The Division of the Budget's fiscal note indicates that, according to the Department of Agriculture, passage of SB 640 would have no fiscal impact. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/bill_search.html