Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 30. TRADE AND COMMERCE

CHAPTER 12. WEIGHTS, MEASURES, STANDARDS, AND LABELING

Part 5. Offenses and Penalties

Offenses And Penalties

30-12-504. Offenses and penalties. (1) A person may not:

(a) use or possess for the purpose of using for a commercial purpose specified in 30-12-205, sell, offer or expose for sale or hire, or possess for the purpose of selling or hiring an incorrect weight or measure or any device or instrument used to or calculated to falsify any weight or measure;

(b) use or possess for the purpose of current use for a commercial purpose specified in 30-12-205 a weight or measure that does not bear a seal or mark specified in 30-12-209 unless that weight or measure has been exempted from testing by 30-12-205 or by a rule of the department issued under 30-12-202 or unless the device has been placed in service as provided by a rule of the department issued under 30-12-202. A person using weighing or measuring devices subject to parts 1 through 5 shall report to the department, in writing, the number and location of the weighing or measuring device and shall promptly report the installation of any new weighing or measuring device.

(c) dispose of a rejected or condemned weight or measure in a manner contrary to law or rule;

(d) remove from a weight or measure, contrary to law or rule, any tag, seal, or mark placed on it by the appropriate authority;

(e) sell or offer or expose for sale less than the quantity the person represents of a commodity, thing, or service;

(f) take more than the quantity the person represents of a commodity, thing, or service when, as buyer, the person furnishes the weight or measure by means of which the amount of the commodity, thing, or service is determined;

(g) keep for the purpose of sale, advertise or offer or expose for sale, or sell a commodity, thing, or service in a condition or manner contrary to law or rule;

(h) use in retail trade, except in the preparation of packages put up in advance of sale and of medical prescriptions, a weight or measure that is not so positioned that its indications may be accurately read and the weighing or measuring operation observed from some position that may reasonably be assumed by a customer;

(i) violate a provision of parts 1 through 5 or of the rules adopted under parts 1 through 5 for which a specific penalty is not prescribed.

(2) A person who violates or who knowingly allows an employee or agent to violate this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon a first conviction shall be fined not less than $20 or more than $200 or imprisoned for not more than 3 months or both fined and imprisoned. Upon a second or subsequent conviction, the person shall be fined not less than $50 or more than $500 or imprisoned for not more than 1 year or both fined and imprisoned.

History: En. Sec. 36, Ch. 99, L. 1969; amd. Sec. 167, Ch. 431, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 90-188; amd. Sec. 948, Ch. 56, L. 2009.