
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: 46USC8302]

 
                           TITLE 46--SHIPPING
 
                     Subtitle II--Vessels and Seamen
 
                       Part F--Manning of Vessels
 
                    CHAPTER 83--MASTERS AND OFFICERS
 
Sec. 8302. Staff department

    (a) This section applies to a vessel of the United States except--
        (1) a fishing or whaling vessel or a yacht;
        (2) a vessel operated only on bays, sounds, inland waters, and 
    lakes (except the Great Lakes); and
        (3) a vessel ferrying passengers and cars on the Great Lakes.

    (b) The staff department on a vessel is a separate and independent 
department. It consists of individuals registered under section 7101 of 
this title, clerks, and individuals assigned to the senior registered 
medical doctor.
    (c) The staff department is composed of a medical division and a 
purser's division. The officer in charge of each division is responsible 
only to the master. The senior registered medical doctor is in charge of 
the medical division. The senior registered purser is in charge of the 
purser's division.
    (d) The officer in charge of the purser's division of the staff 
department on an oceangoing passenger vessel licensed to carry more than 
100 passengers shall be a registered chief purser. When more than 3 
persons are employed in the purser's division of that vessel, there also 
shall be at least one registered senior assistant purser and one 
registered junior assistant purser.
    (e) A person may not employ an individual to serve in, and an 
individual may not serve in, a grade of staff officer on a vessel, when 
that staff officer is required by this section to be registered, if the 
individual does not have a certificate of registry as staff officer in 
that grade. A person (including an individual) violating this subsection 
is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of $100. 
However, if a registered staff officer is not available at the time of 
sailing, the vessel may sail with an unregistered staff officer or 
without a staff officer.
    (f) A staff officer may not be included in a vessel's certificate of 
inspection.
    (g) A registered staff officer serving under this section who is a 
member of the Naval Reserve may wear on the officer's uniform special 
distinguishing insignia prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy.
    (h) The uniform stripes, decoration, or other insignia worn by a 
staff officer shall be of gold braid or woven gold or silver material. A 
crewmember (except a staff officer) may not wear any uniform with a 
staff officer's identifying insignia.

(Pub. L. 98-89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 551; Pub. L. 99-36, 
Sec. 1(a)(4), May 15, 1985, 99 Stat. 67.)

                      Historical and Revision Notes
------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Revised section                Source section (U.S. Code)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
8302(a)-(d).......................  46:242
                                    46:248
8302(e), (f)......................  46:246(a)
8302(g)...........................  46:245(a)
8302(h)...........................  46:245(b)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Section 8302 sets forth the organization and manning requirements of 
the staff department of a vessel. The staff department has medical and 
clerical responsibilities.
    Subsection (a) applies this section to every United States vessel 
except a yacht, a fishing, whaling, or certain types of inland waterway 
vessel, and a ferry carrying passengers or cars on the Great Lakes. A 
ferry is a vessel that primarily carries passengers, cars, or trains 
from shore to shore as a means to connect existing points on a 
transportation route so that the same type of transportation mode may 
continue to be used upon arrival at either point. Vessels carrying cars 
as cargo would not be included in this type of vessel.
    Subsection (b) establishes the staff department as a separate one 
consisting of registered individuals (pursers, medical doctors, and 
professional nurses), clerks, and medical assistants. Subsection (c) 
divides the department into a medical division and a purser's division 
and designates the individual in charge of each division. Subsection (d) 
prescribes particular requirements of the purser's division based on 
size of the vessel or number of individuals employed in the division.
    Subsection (e) prohibits the employment or service of an individual 
who is not registered or of the grade as required under this section and 
prescribes a penalty for violation of the subsection. This penalty 
applies to both the employer and the individual employed. If a 
registered staff officer is unavailable at the time of departure for a 
voyage, the vessel may proceed on its voyage with either an unregistered 
staff officer or without a staff officer.
    Subsection (f) prohibits including a staff officer on a vessel's 
certificate of inspection.
    Subsections (g) and (h) prescribe the type and restrictions for the 
uniform accouterments of a staff officer.


                               Amendments

    1985--Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99-36 inserted a comma after ``clerks''.
