Sec. 314. Survival craft
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Section 3104 of title 46, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: The Secretary shall require that a passenger vessel be equipped with survival craft that ensures that no part of an individual is immersed in water, if— such vessel is built or undergoes a major conversion after January 1, 2016; and operates in cold waters as determined by the Secretary. The Secretary may revise part 117 or part 180 of title 46, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect before January 1, 2016, if such revision provides a higher standard of safety than is provided by the regulations in effect on or before the date of enactment of the Howard Coble Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014 .
The Secretary may, in lieu of the requirements set out in part 117 or part 180 of title 46, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of the enactment of the Howard Coble Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014 , allow a passenger vessel to be equipped with a life saving appliance or arrangement of an innovative or novel design that— ensures no part of an individual is immersed in water; and provides an equal or higher standard of safety than is provided by such requirements as in effect before such date of enactment.
In this section, the term built has the meaning that term has under section 4503(e). . Not later than December 31, 2015, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a review of— the number of casualties for individuals with disabilities, children, and the elderly as a result of immersion in water, reported to the Coast Guard over the preceding 30-year period, by vessel type and area of operation; the risks to individuals with disabilities, children, and the elderly as a result of immersion in water, by passenger vessel type and area of operation; the effect that carriage of survival craft that ensure that no part of an individual is immersed in water has on— passenger vessel safety, including stability and safe navigation; improving the survivability of individuals, including individuals with disabilities, children, and the elderly; and the costs, the incremental cost difference to vessel operators, and the cost effectiveness of requiring the carriage of such survival craft to address the risks to individuals with disabilities, children, and the elderly; the efficacy of alternative safety systems, devices, or measures in improving survivability of individuals with disabilities, children, and the elderly; and the number of small businesses and nonprofit vessel operators that would be affected by requiring the carriage of such survival craft on passenger vessels to address the risks to individuals with disabilities, children, and the elderly.
Based on the review conducted under paragraph (1), the Secretary may revise regulations concerning the carriage of survival craft pursuant to section 3104(c) of title 46, United States Code.