
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 46USC7302]

 
                           TITLE 46--SHIPPING
 
                     Subtitle II--Vessels and Seamen
 
      Part E--Merchant Seamen Licenses, Certificates, and Documents
 
                CHAPTER 73--MERCHANT MARINERS' DOCUMENTS
 
Sec. 7302. Issuing merchant mariners' documents and continuous 
        discharge books
        
    (a) The Secretary shall issue a merchant mariner's document to an 
individual required to have that document under part F of this subtitle 
if the individual satisfies the requirements of this part. The document 
serves as a certificate of identification and as a certificate of 
service, specifying each rating in which the holder is qualified to 
serve on board vessels on which that document is required under part F.
    (b) The Secretary also may issue a continuous discharge book to an 
individual issued a merchant mariner's document if the individual 
requests.
    (c) The Secretary may not issue a merchant mariner's document under 
this chapter unless the individual applying for the document makes 
available to the Secretary, under section 206(b)(7) of the National 
Driver Register Act of 1982 (23 U.S.C. 401 note), any information 
contained in the National Driver Register related to an offense 
described in section 205(a)(3)(A) or (B) of that Act committed by the 
individual.
    (d) The Secretary may review the criminal record of an individual 
who applies for a merchant mariner's document under this section.
    (e) The Secretary shall require the testing of an individual 
applying for issuance or renewal of a merchant mariner's document under 
this chapter for the use of a dangerous drug in violation of law or 
Federal regulation.
    (f) A merchant mariner's document issued under this chapter is valid 
for 5 years and may be renewed for additional 5-year periods.

(Pub. L. 98-89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 542; Pub. L. 101-380, title IV, 
Secs. 4101(b), 4102(c), Aug. 18, 1990, 104 Stat. 509.)

                      Historical and Revision Notes
------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Revised section                Source section (U.S. Code)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
7302..............................  46:239a(c)
                                    46:643(a)
                                    46:643(c)
                                    46:672(i)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Section 7302(a) requires the Secretary to issue a merchant mariner's 
document to qualified individuals required to have that document as a 
prerequisite to employment on certain vessels of the United States. The 
purpose of the document is to serve as positive identification and to 
specify each rating in which the individual is qualified to serve on 
vessels.
    Subsection (b) allows the Secretary to issue a continuous discharge 
book to an individual who requests a book.

                       References in Text

    Sections 205(a)(3)(A) or (B) and 206(b)(7) of the National Driver 
Register Act of 1982, referred to in subsec. (c), are sections 
205(a)(3)(A), (B) and 206(b)(7) of Pub. L. 97-364, which are set out as 
a note under section 401 of Title 23, Highways.


                               Amendments

    1990--Subsecs. (c) to (e). Pub. L. 101-380, Sec. 4101(b), added 
subsecs. (c) to (e).
    Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 101-380, Sec. 4102(c), added subsec. (f).


                    Effective Date of 1990 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 101-380 applicable to incidents occurring after 
Aug. 18, 1990, see section 1020 of Pub. L. 101-380, set out as an 
Effective Date note under section 2701 of Title 33, Navigation and 
Navigable Waters.


     Termination of Existing Licenses, Certificates, and Documents; 
                     Applicability of 1990 Amendment

    For provisions that a merchant mariner's document issued before Aug. 
18, 1990, terminates on the day it would have expired if the amendment 
to this section by section 4102(c) of Pub. L. 101-380 were in effect on 
date it was issued and was renewed at the end of each 5-year period 
under this section, see section 4102(d) of Pub. L. 101-380, set out as a 
note under section 7106 of this title.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 8701 of this title; title 49 
section 30305.
