Modern Weights and Measures Regulation in the United States
In this book, Craig A. Leisy provides a concise history of weights and measures regulation in the United States from the early 20th century up to the present day.
Written for academic and professional readers, Leisy describes basic terms and concepts, the origins and history of weights and measures laws, weights and measures regulation, the economics of regulation, key enforcement cases, landmark legal decisions, the effects of public policy and a forecast on the future of weights and measures regulation. He also discusses the impact of weights and measures regulation on both producers (sellers) and consumers (buyers) in the marketplace. The book also features a new 2019 survey of state weights and measures regulatory programs, an introduction to the economics of weights and measures regulation, a case study of the municipal weights and measures regulatory program in Seattle, Washington, details of a major gasoline dispenser fraud case in Los Angeles County and landmark legal cases related to net contents of packaged goods.
Modern Weights and Measures Regulation in the United States is the only book on this subject from the perspective of a former long-time weights and measures regulatory official.
Craig A. Leisy served as the Manager of the Consumer Affairs Unit for the City of Seattle where he was responsible for regulation of weights and measures from 1996 to 2017. He was a member of the Western Weights and Measures Association (WWMA) and the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM). He was asked by the NCWM to lead the first survey of state weights and measures regulatory programs in 2002 and he conducted a follow-up survey in 2019 for this book. He graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut with a Bachelor of Science degree. He also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Puget Sound and a Master of Marine Affairs (MMA) degree from the University of Washington. He taught economics and management for three years at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. His previous book, Transportation Network Companies and Taxis: The Case of Seattle, was published by Routledge in 2019.
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Modern Weights and Measures Regulation in the United States
A Brief History
Craig A. Leisy
First published 2022
by Routledge
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and by Routledge
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Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
2022 Craig A. Leisy
The right of Craig A. Leisy to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this title has been requested
ISBN: 978-1-032-20460-4 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-20465-9 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-26366-1 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003263661
Typeset in Times New Roman
by Newgen Publishing UK
This book is dedicated to my coworkers at the Consumer Affairs Unit for the City of Seattle while I served as the manager during 19962015. The success of the weights and measures regulatory program was entirely due to their hard work. I was just smart enough to get out of their way.
Contents
Illustrations
Figures
Photos
Tables
Preface
In 1996, when I was hired to manage the Consumer Affairs Unit for the City of Seattle, I had no background in weights and measures but I had considerable regulatory experience. I had been a commercial vessel safety inspector in the U. S. Coast Guard during my first career (19721995). As a result, I was very familiar with the basic work of a regulator. Midway in that career, I was selected for a three-year out-of-specialty assignment as an assistant professor in the Department of Economics and Management at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut (19811984). I taught survey courses on economics and management as well as upper-level courses on transportation economics and transportation policy. Previously, I had earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Puget Sound. Later, I earned a Master of Marine Affairs degree from the University of Washington in Seattle with an emphasis on ports and marine transportation. By the time I began my second career at the City of Seattle (19962017), I was already familiar with managing regulatory programs and the economics of regulation.
No one applies for a job in weights and measures regulation with relevant experience on their resume. There are fewer than two thousand weights and measures inspectors spread out all over the United States and its territories. Most manager positions are filled from within the state and local government regulatory programs so the candidates are at least familiar with the nuts and bolts of field inspector work. I was brought in from the outside so everything was new to me.
I looked but could not find a book on weights and measures regulation to help me learn my new job in Seattle. I thought that maybe someday I would write one based on what I learned. I began to collect information on all aspects of that work. Much of it eventually found its way into this book. There has always been a need for a brief introduction to weights and measures regulation but the only books available were the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Handbook series on technical standards, test procedures and model law. In 2011, NIST published Handbook 155 Weights and Measures Program Requirements: A Handbook for the Weights and Measures Administrator
