EQUIPMENT AND STANDARDS FOR CERTAIN PASSENGER VESSELS.

SEC. 512. EQUIPMENT AND STANDARDS FOR CERTAIN PASSENGER VESSELS. (a) Section 3306 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsections: “(h) The Secretary shall establish appropriate structural fire protection, manning, operating, and equipment requirements for vessels of at least 100 gross tons but less than 300 gross tons carrying not more than 150 passengers on domestic voyages, which meet the eligibility criteria of section 2113(4) of this title. “(i) The Secretary shall establish appropriate structural fire protection, manning, operating, and equipment requirements for former public vessels of the United States of at least 100 gross tons but less that 500 gross tons carrying not more than 150 passengers on domestic voyages, which meet the eligibility criteria of section 2113(5) of this title.”. (b) The Secretary of Transportation shall, within twenty-four months of the date of enactment of this Act, prescribe regulations establishing the structural fire protection, manning, operating, and equipment requirements for vessels which meet the requirements of subsections (h) and (i) of section 3306 of title 46, United States Code, as amended by this Act. 107 STAT. 2443 (c) Before the Secretary of Transportation prescribes regulations under subsections (h) and (i) of section 3306 of title 46, United States Code, as amended by this Act, the Secretary may prescribe the route, service, manning, and equipment for those vessels based on existing passenger vessel and small passenger vessel regulations.