Sec. 501. CONSISTENCY IN MARINE INSPECTIONS
668 words·~3 min read·
/statute-compilations/comps-15407/sec-501A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
## SEC. 501 CONSISTENCY IN MARINE INSPECTIONS ###
(a)In General Section 3305 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: > > ### “(d) > > > ####
(1)> > The Commandant of the Coast Guard shall ensure that Officers in Charge, Marine Inspections consistently interpret regulations and standards under this subtitle and chapter 700 to avoid disruption and undue expense to industry. > > > #### “(2) > > > #####
(A)> > Subject to subparagraph (B), in the event of a disagreement regarding the condition of a vessel or the interpretation of a regulation or standard referred to in subsection
(a)between a local Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection conducting an inspection of the vessel and the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection that issued the most recent certificate of inspection for the vessel, such Officers shall seek to resolve such disagreement. > > > ##### “(B) > > If a disagreement described in subparagraph
(A)involves vessel design or plan review, the Coast Guard marine safety center shall be included in all efforts to resolve such disagreement. > > > ##### “(C) > > If a disagreement described in subparagraph
(A)or
(B)cannot be resolved, the local Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection shall submit to the Commandant of the Coast Guard, through the cognizant Coast Guard district commander, a request for a final agency determination of the matter in disagreement. > > > #### “(3) > > The Commandant of the Coast Guard shall— > > > ##### “(A) > > provide to each person affected by a decision or action by an Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection or by the Coast Guard marine safety center all information necessary for such person to exercise any right to appeal such decision or action; and > > > ##### “(B) > > if such an appeal is filed, process such appeal under parts 1 through 4 of title 46, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of enactment of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2017. > > > #### “(4) > > In this section, the term ‘Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection’ means any person from the civilian or military branch of the Coast Guard who— > > > ##### “(A) > > is designated as such by the Commandant; and > > > ##### “(B) > > under the superintendence and direction of the cognizant Coast Guard district commander, is in charge of an inspection zone for the performance of duties with respect to the inspections under, and enforcement and administration of, subtitle II, chapter 700, and regulations under such laws.” > . ###
(b)Report on Marine Inspector Training Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commandant of the Coast Guard shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report on the training, experience, and qualifications required for assignment as a marine inspector under section 312 of title 14, United States Code, including— ####
(1)a description of any continuing education requirement, including a specific list of the required courses; ####
(2)a description of the training, including a specific list of the included courses, offered to a journeyman or an advanced journeyman marine inspector to advance inspection expertise; ####
(3)a description of any training that was offered in the 15-year period before the date of the enactment of this Act, but is no longer required or offered, including a specific list of the included courses, including the senior marine inspector course and any plan review courses; ####
(4)a justification for why a course described in paragraph
(3)is no longer required or offered; and ####
(5)a list of the course content the Commandant considers necessary to promote consistency among marine inspectors in an environment of increasingly complex vessels and vessel systems.