WEIGHTS & MEASURES
COUNTY TO NATIONAL LEVEL
Angela Godwin
Sealer
County of Ventura
ORGANIZATION OF WEIGHTS &
MEASURES IN THE UNITED STATES
 No Federal Program
 No one federal agency has overall jurisdiction
 Weights & Measures remains a “State’ Rights” Issue
 Over 750 State, County, and City Weights and Measures jurisdictions in the USA
ORGANIZATION OF WEIGHTS &
MEASURES IN CALIFORNIA
•Both State and County Sealers are vested with enforcing the Business &
Professions Code, Division 5 and Regulations in the California Code of
Regulations, Title 4, Division 9.
•CDFA-DMS is charged with the general supervision of weights and
measures activities.
•Represents CA at both WWMA & NCWM
•issues instruction, procedures and recommendations
•periodically inspects the work of County Sealers
•Develops regulations
•County W&M
PRESENT DAY WEIGHTS & MEASURES IN
CALIFORNIA
Metrology
Registered
Service
Agencies
Petroleum
Products /
Weighmaster
Enforcement
Type
Evaluation
The Division of
Measurement
Standards &
County W&M
Device
Enforcement
Quality
Control
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)www.nist.gov
The National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM)
www.ncwm.net
National Bureau of Standards (NBS) 
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
The National Bureau of Standards was established by
Congress in 1901
Federal technology agency for maintaining the
traceability of national standards
Provides technical guidance to NCWM
The name was changed to National Institute of
Standards and Technology in 1988
Congress greatly expanded NIST’s mission by
establishing:
Advanced Technology Program
Manufacturing Extension Partnership
National Conference On Weights & Measures
“The Equity May Prevail”
NCWM is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to
developing U.S. standards for weights and measures
First meeting in 1905 was organized by the National
Bureau of Standards – eight states and the District of
Columbia
First model standards were published in 1915 –
Tolerances and Specifications for Weighing and
Measuring devices
NATIONAL STANDARD HANDBOOKS
The Standards adopted by NCWM are contained in 3 publications.
 NIST Handbook 44 contains the
specification, tolerances and other technical
requirements for weights and measure devices. Almost every state adopts
HB44 in some form.
 NIST Handbook 130 contains model
laws and regulations. States may adopt any
or all of these regulations as a means of supplementing their own statues.
 NIST Handbook 133 contains the
test procedures for checking the net contents
of packaged goods.
Everyone has a stake in the national standards for weights and measures and can
participate in the standards development process.
All of these standards are subject to amendment on an annual basis. The idea for
amendments can come from anyone; inspectors, consumers, manufacturers,
administrators, and retailers.
REGIONAL ORGANIZATION OF THE NCWM
The states are organized into various regional groups where weights and
measures issues are discussed and proposals are submitted to NCWM.
Western W & M Assoc.
Central W & M Assoc.
Southern W & M Assoc.
Northeastern W & M
Assoc.
REGIONAL ORGANIZATION OF THE NCWM
Western W & M Association
 California
 Colorado
 Oregon
 New Mexico
 Washington
 Arizona
 Nevada
 Alaska
 Idaho
 Montana
 Utah
 Wyoming
 Hawaii
WESTERN WEIGHTS & MEASURES ASSOCIATION (WWMA)
California officials join the WWMA.
It is our regional tie to the National Conference on eights & Measures (NCWM).
We initiate & develop proposals through the WWMA which then go to the NCWM for
adoption.
NCWM STRUCTURE
(WWMA)
S&T
L&R
Board of
Directors
PDC
NTEP
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 Manage administrative functions, set vision and direction for NCWM
 Oversee the activities of the standing committees
 Provide counsel on weights and measures issues as they emerge in the
marketplace by drawing on the expertise of our diverse membership of public and
private sector members
SPECIFICATION AND TOLERANCES
COMMITTEE
 Address specifications, tolerances and technical requirements for commercial
weighing and measuring devices
 Interprets and develops standards and testing equipment for weights and
measures officials, as well as recommending procedures for testing commercial
equipment
 Results are published in NIST Handbook 44: Specifications, Tolerances and Other
Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices
LAWS AND REGULATIONS COMMITTEE
 Develop and interpret uniform laws and regulations, commodity inspection and
regulation standards
 Results are published in NIST Handbook 130: Uniform Laws and Regulations for
Legal Metrology and Engine Fuel Quality
 Interpret and develop standards and testing for checking the net contents of
packaged goods
 Results are published in NIST Handbook 133: Procedures for Checking Net
Contents of Packaged Goods
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE
 Address consumer affairs and safety issues
 Promote awareness of weights and measures activities among the general public
 Facilitate training and certification
 National Certification Program.
NATIONAL TYPE EVALUATION PROGRAM
 Oversee the operation of the NTEP Program
 Develop objectives, goals, operating policies and procedures which are published
in NCWM Publication 14
 Sponsor technical subcommittees in various areas to develop technical test
procedures and evaluation criteria
 Serve as arbiter in disputes involving NTEP activities
 Authorize participating laboratories
NCWM PUBLICATION 16
 Agenda items
 Changes to the agenda can and do occur
 Review items prior to Open Hearings
 Be prepared to state your point of view during Open Hearings
 Written testimony is accepted to compliment your Open Hearing comments
COMMITTEE REFERENCE KEYS
100 Series – Board of Directors
200 Series – Laws & Regulations Committee
300 Series – Specifications & Tolerances Committee
400 Series – Professional Development Committee
500 Series – National Type Evaluation Program Committee
800 Series – Nominating Committee
OPEN HEARING
All attendees may speak on any issue
All Standing Committees conduct an Open Hearing
Stakeholder input in the standards development process is used to determine final
reports
Address the chair of the committee
 Go to the microphone
 Mr. Chair, members of the committee,
 my name is John Doe from the State of California…
Written comments are welcome and very useful for the Committee work sessions
COMMITTEE WORK SESSIONS
 Open to all attendees
 Committee will review, discuss and revise agenda items
 Only committee members may speak
 Observe committee work sessions
VOTING SESSION
 Addendum sheets contain final agenda item changes prior to voting
 Items are presented with final opportunity for comment and discussion
 House of Representative – one person from each state/territory
 House of Delegates – regulatory officials in excess of the House of
Representatives
VOTING SESSION ARRANGEMENT
VOTING SESSIONS CONTINUED
Business Items
All attendees may vote
Technical Items
Members from House of State Representatives and House of
Delegates vote
(Twenty-seven) 27 Affirmative Votes
From each House are needed for an item to pass
Proxy Votes are not allowed
AGENDA ITEMS DESIGNATION
(V)
VOTING
• Voted on at the Annual Meeting
(I)
INFORMATIONAL
• Open for Discussion, can’t be voted
on at a t the annual meeting
(D)
DEVELOPMENTAL
• Not ready for action by the
Conference
(W) WITHDRAWN
• Removed from the agenda
ASSOCIATED MEMBERS
Business and Industry
members represent nearly
40% of the NCWM
membership
Facilitate the
Coordination and
participation of the
associated members in all
NCWM Business and social
events
Have privilege of the floor
throughout meetings.
Government
Membership
Associated
Membership
(Industry &
Business)
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Vote on:
• NCWM Business Items
• Committee Items
• Subgroup items
• National Type
Evaluation Technical
Committee Sectors
• Work Groups and Task
Forces
Standing
Committee
representation:
• Board of Directors
• Laws and Regulations
Committee
• Professional
Development
Committee
HOW AN IDEA BECOMES A NATIONAL
STANDARD
The Process:
1. Identify problem with a current
standard or a void where a
standard is needed.
2. Download Form 15 to create
proposal. Indicate the purpose,
the proposal, and justification.
Designate at least one regional
association where the item is to
be introduced.
3. Submit the form to NCWM, it will
be forwarded to the indicated
regions for consideration at their
next fall meeting. It is
recommended that the proposal
author attend the regional
meeting to answer questions and
concerns.
Insert Form 15
HOW AN IDEA BECOMES A NATIONAL
STANDARD (CONTINUED)
4.The regional association will hold hearings
to determine recommendations for the
proposal on their agendas. If this proposal
has merit, the regional association will
forward the item to the NCWM committee
agenda.
5.All new proposals received from regional
associations along with the carryover items
from the previous year will appear in NCWM
Publication 16. This is the agenda for the
Interim Meeting held each January.
At the
conclusion of the NCWMA Interim Meeting,
the Committees have designated the status
that each agenda idea will have on the
NCWM Annual Meeting agenda.
5. (Cont.) The status options are Voting,
Informational,
Developing,
and
Withdrawn.
6. At the NCWM Annual meeting in July,
about 9 months into the process,
hearings are held once again. The
Committees deliberate, and have the
option of adding amendments to the
item. Addendums sheets are printed
and the Conference goes into a voting
session. Items adopted will become the
new national standards beginning
January 1 of the following year. These
amendments to the standards are
reflected in the respective NIST
Handbooks 44, 130, or 133. Your idea
has become a national standard.
STAT E O F C A LIFO R N IA
CaLEPA
CDFA
Regional
NCWM
CACASA
Regional
Group
Comm/Sealer
NCWM
Annual
NCWM
Interim
DMS
DPR
N AT IO N A L
Regional
Deputy Area
Group
NIST
Advisory
INTERNATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
I N T E R N A T I O N A L O R G A N I Z A T I O N O F L E G A L
METROLOGY (OIML):
 Develops legal
metrology standards;
referred to as OIML
Recommendations
 OIML
Recommendations is
voluntary
 Overlap of topics
OIML
Recommendation
NCWM
Publication 14
NIST Handbooks 44,
130 and 133
INTERNATIONAL CONSIDERATION
 Why (International) Harmonization?
 Reduces the need for manufacturers to undergo costly, duplicative testing
 Manufacturers don't need to make different instruments for different States or
countries
 Provides smoother international trade and commerce and an efficiency to the
marketplace
2013 WWMA Annual Meeting
September 22-26, 2013
Kallispell, Montana
The State of Montana proudly invites the Weights and Measures
community to the 2013 Annual Western Weights and Measures
Conference. The theme of the conference has not yet been announced.
This will be an excellent opportunity to watch the open hearings,
committee meetings and there will be interesting demonstrations and
presentations.
September 14-18, 2014
Portland, Oregon
Angela Godwin
County of Ventura
Sealer of Weights & Measures
(805) 654-2428
angela.godwin@ventura.org