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SALEM, Ore. -- Oregon may have a few problems to straighten out during the current recession -- high unemployment, soaring foreclosures and a bleeding state budget come to mind -- but House lawmakers didn’t let those troubles deter them from work on a law to award restaurants, bars and pubs that serve “a true pint of beer” with a sticker.

House Bill 3122, better known as the “Honest Pint Act,” passed the House by a 34-26 vote on Thursday. The law allows businesses serving draft beer to post state-issued stickers if their pints measure up to 16 ounces, or a full U.S. pint.

The movement to recognize Oregon establishments that aren’t skimping on pint service was begun by Jeff Alworth, a beer blogger who petitioned to make honest pints an issue for state regulators of standards and measurements.

Some establishments serve beer in 13 or 14 ounce glasses but charge customers “per pint” of beer.

“It's a camel's nose issue ... It establishes in the consumers' mind the issue and causes them to expect something more,” Alworth wrote on his blog, Beervana .

But House Republicans called the legislation an immense waste of resource and time.

"The Legislature should be tackling more important issues than pint glasses," said Nick Smith, communications director for Oregon House Republicans. "Businesses can (certify) themselves. Should we really be devoting state resources and agency man power to measuring pint glasses with all that's going on?"

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission would be responsible for designing honest pint decals for at least 6,000 draught-beer pouring establishments in the state. HB 3122 requires that OLCC place the words “honest pint” somewhere conspicuous on the sticker.

Only state-regulated taverns, bars, restaurants and the like may display the decals -- Joe Sixpack can’t qualify for a decal just by serving friends beer in cold 16-ounce glasses from the fridge -- and the certification must be renewed every two years.

Finally, the commission can charge businesses for the decal and certification.

A state fiscal analysis predicted the "Honest Pint Act" would cost at least $20,000 for forms and training. But the analysis did not speculate on how much "honest pint measuring tools" might cost county health departments.

The House legislation does not address other “honest pint” certifications, which consumers can provide themselves. Alworth’s web site, Honest Pint Project, asks beer drinkers to help certify local brewers and bars that serve true, “honest,” 16-ounce pints.

The honest pint debate now moves to the Senate.