(a) Any weighmaster weighing any vehicle moving construction materials, including, but not limited to, earth, stone, rock, sand, gravel, limestone, ready mixed concrete, cementitious materials, recycled construction materials, or asphalt paving materials may use an unattended weighing system to weigh the vehicle and to issue a weighmaster certificate to buyers who opt to utilize the unattended system, provided that the system and the operation of the system comply with regulations or policies issued by the secretary. The name of the principal weighmaster and the unique system identification number of the unattended weighing system utilized shall be imprinted on the weighmaster certificate and this shall satisfy the requirements of subdivision (c) of Section 12715. Nothing in this section impacts existing weighing and ticketing systems.

(b) (1) A weighmaster shall pay the department the following license fee for each license year as applicable to the operation:

(A) Seventy-five dollars ($75) if the weighmaster is operating at a fixed location.

(B) Thirty dollars ($30) for each additional fixed location at which the weighmaster is operating.

(C) Two hundred dollars ($200) if the weighmaster is operating at other than a fixed location.

(D) Twenty dollars ($20) for each deputy weighmaster.

(2) Any fee imposed pursuant to this section shall not exceed the reasonable regulatory costs to the department of enforcing this section.

(c) For purposes of this section:

(1) “License year” means the period of time beginning with the first day of the month the weighmaster is required to be licensed in this state, and ending on the date designated by the secretary for expiration of the license, or yearly intervals after the first renewal.

(2) “Location” means a premise on which weighing, measuring, or counting devices are used.

(3) “Principal weighmaster” means the person or entity identified on the weighmaster certificate, as described in subdivision (b) of Section 12714, that may employ or designate any person to act for the weighmaster as a deputy weighmaster pursuant to Section 12710.

(4) “Unattended weighing system” means an automated system not directly under the supervision of a weighmaster that meets the approval, testing, and sealing requirements of Section 12717.

(d) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2020.

(Amended (as added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 344, Sec. 2) by Stats. 2017, Ch. 573, Sec. 68. (SB 800) Effective January 1, 2018. Section operative January 1, 2020, by its own provisions.)