Us Code § 3315 - Disclosure of defects and protection of informants
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 3315 — Disclosure of defects and protection of informants, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 3315. Disclosure of defects and protection of informants
(a) Each individual licensed under part E of this subtitle shall assist in the inspection or examination under this part of the vessel on which the individual is serving, and shall point out defects and imperfections known to the individual in matters subject to regulations and inspection. The individual also shall make known to officials designated to enforce this part, at the earliest opportunity, any marine casualty producing serious injury to the vessel, its equipment, or individuals on the vessel.
(b) An official may not disclose the name of an individual providing information under this section, or the source of the information, to a person except a person authorized by the Secretary. An official violating this subsection is liable to disciplinary action under applicable law.
(Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 516.)
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
|---|---|
| 3315 | 46:234 |
Section 3315 requires an individual holding a license issued by the Coast Guard to assist inspection authorities and to make defects and imperfections known to those authorities. Anyone licensed also has a duty to report any marine casualty producing serious injury to the vessel, its equipment, or individuals on board the vessel. These licensed individuals who have this statutorily imposed duty to disclose are also protected by prohibiting any government official from disclosing the identity or source of the information except as authorized by the Secretary.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Apr. 15, 1984, see section 2(g)(1) of Pub. L. 98–89, set out as a note under section 3101 of this title.
Anonymous Safety Alert System
Pub. L. 115–265, title II, §217, Oct. 11, 2018, 132 Stat. 3752, provided that:
"(a)
"(b)
About This Section
46 U.S.C. § 3315 is part of Title 46 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
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