46 U.S.C. § 3104
Section 3104 · Survival craft
Current version, with additions and removals from the December 20, 2012 version.
(b) The Secretary may authorize a survival craft that does not provide protection described in subsection (a) to remain in service until not later than the date that is 30 months after the date on which the report described in subsection (c) is submitted, if—
(1) it was approved by the Secretary before January 1, 2010; and
(2) it is in serviceable condition.
(c) Report.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Commandant of the Coast Guard 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 report on the carriage of survival craft that ensures no part of an individual is immersed in water, which shall include—
(1) the number of casualties, by vessel type and area of operation, as the result of immersion in water reported to the Coast Guard for each of fiscal years 1991 through 2011;
(2) the effect the carriage of such survival craft has on—
(A) vessel safety, including stability and safe navigation; and
(B) survivability of individuals, including persons with disabilities, children, and the elderly;
(3) the efficacy of alternative safety systems, devices, or measures;
(4) the cost and cost effectiveness of requiring the carriage of such survival craft on vessels; and
(5) the number of small businesses and nonprofit entities that would be affected by requiring the carriage of such survival craft on vessels.
(1) such vessel is built or undergoes a major conversion after January 1, 2016; and
(2) operates in cold waters as determined by the Secretary.
(b) Higher Standard of Safety.—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 the enactment of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2016.
(c) Innovative and Novel Designs.—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 Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2016, allow a passenger vessel to be equipped with a life-saving appliance or arrangement of an innovative or novel design that—
(1) ensures no part of an individual is immersed in water; and
(2) provides an equal or higher standard of safety than is provided by such requirements as in effect before such date of the enactment.
(d) Built Defined.—In this section, the term "built" has the meaning that term has under section 4503(d).