STATE MARITIME ACADEMY PHYSICAL STANDARDS AND REPORTING.

SEC. 3515. STATE MARITIME ACADEMY PHYSICAL STANDARDS AND REPORTING. Section 51506 of title 46, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “must” and inserting “shall”; (B) in paragraph (2), by striking “and” at the end; (C) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and (D) by adding at the end the following: “(4) agree that any individual enrolled at such State maritime academy in a merchant marine officer preparation program— “(A) shall, not later than 9 months after such individual’s date of enrollment, pass an examination in form and substance satisfactory to the Secretary that demonstrates that such individual meets the medical and physical requirements— “(i) required for the issuance of an original license under section 7101; or “(ii) set by the Coast Guard for issuing merchant mariners’ documentation under section 7302, with no limit to the individual’s operational authority; “(B) following passage of the examination under subparagraph (A), shall continue to meet the requirements described in subparagraph (A) throughout the remainder of the individual’s enrollment at the State maritime academy; and “(C) if the individual has a medical or physical condition that disqualifies the individual from meeting the requirements referred to in subparagraph (A), shall be transferred to a program other than a merchant marine officer preparation program, or otherwise appropriately disenrolled from such State maritime academy, until the individual demonstrates to the Secretary that the individual meets such requirements.” ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: “(c) Secretarial Waiver Authority. The Secretary may modify or waive any of the terms set forth in subsection (a)(4) with respect to any individual or State maritime academy.” .