Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Coast Guard Registration topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate committee approves technical changes to meet Coast Guard registration standards
Summary
The Senate Ports and Marine Resources Committee voted to report out Senate Bill 2003 after adopting an amendment and a committee substitute to align state vessel-registration language with Coast Guard requirements to avoid loss of a $1.5 million annual grant.
Senate Bill 2003, a technical update to state vessel-registration language intended to meet U.S. Coast Guard standards, was reported out of the Mississippi Senate Ports and Marine Resources Committee after the panel adopted a committee substitute and a floor amendment.
The bill’s sponsor, Senator Ladner, told the committee the change is intended to ensure the state “meet their standards because if we do not meet their standards, we have a chance of losing a grant for 1,500,000 a year.” He said the change is largely clerical and does not alter substantive program requirements beyond aligning code-section references.
The bill prompted questions about the definition of “vessel.” Senator Seymour raised that Webster’s definition describes a vessel as a ship, large boat or watercraft larger than a rowboat and said the draft language appears to treat rowboats as vessels, calling for a clarification in definitions and a clerical correction on line 127. Committee staff confirmed the changes and said the revisions to registration requirements were intended to comply with Coast Guard requirements so the state can continue to receive the federal funds tied to registration checks.
Committee members also asked about timing. A staff member said the changes would appear on renewal applications and would apply to new registrations and renewals; the bill includes a 60-day time reference in its text.
Senator Seymour offered an amendment to delete the word “commission” on line 127 and replace it with “department.” The committee voted to adopt the amendment, then adopted the committee substitute as amended. The committee chair called for the ayes, and the bill was reported out.
Votes at a glance: committee adopted an amendment to replace “commission” with “department” and then voted to adopt the committee substitute as amended; the committee chair announced the ayes had it and the bill was reported out to the next stage.
The bill now moves forward in the legislative process; committee members did not record a roll-call tally in the transcript.
