New legislation moving forward in New Jersey could require regular inspections of airport baggage scales and public disclosure of the results, following troubling findings at Newark Liberty International Airport.

The state Assembly Transportation Committee has approved a bill introduced by Assemblyman Clint Calabrese that would direct the superintendent of the New Jersey Office of Weights and Measures to inspect baggage scales at airports statewide and publish the findings within 30 days.

Records from Newark’s most recent inspection, conducted in October 2023, revealed that 105 of 384 baggage scales failed accuracy tests. Of those, 86 produced readings that could cause passengers to be charged extra for overweight luggage.

Some of the reported problems were particularly significant. One scale continued to give readings off by as much as 35 pounds even after repairs and a follow-up inspection. Another reportedly failed to register weights of 300, 350, 400 and even 500 pounds.

The findings stand out compared with other major New York City-area airports, where available public records do not show a similar rate of faulty scales. LaGuardia and JFK receive annual weight-scale testing, while Newark’s scales have not been inspected by New Jersey’s Division of Consumer Affairs since October 2023.

Mandatory inspections and public reporting would improve oversight and help protect travelers from being charged based on inaccurate measurements. The bill has cleared committee but would still need to advance through the legislative process before becoming law.