§ 7509 - Medical certification by trusted agents

CHAPTER 75— GENERAL PROCEDURES FOR LICENSING, CERTIFICATION, AND DOCUMENTATION

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law and pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary, a trusted agent may issue a medical certificate to an individual who—

(a)(1) must hold such certificate to qualify for a license, certificate of registry, or merchant mariner’s document, or endorsement thereto under this part; and

(a)(2) is qualified as to sight, hearing, and physical condition to perform the duties of such license, certificate, document, or endorsement, as determined by the trusted agent.

(b) A final rule implementing this section shall include a process for—

(b)(1) the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to issue medical certificates to mariners who submit applications for such certificates to the Secretary; and

(b)(2) a trusted agent to defer to the Secretary the issuance of a medical certificate.

(c) In this section the term “trusted agent” means a medical practitioner certified by the Secretary to perform physical examinations of an individual for purposes of a license, certificate of registry, or merchant mariner’s document under this part.

Notes

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Implementation Deadline

Pub. L. 114–120, title III, § 309(b), Feb. 8, 2016, 130 Stat. 57, provided that: “Not later than 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act [Feb. 8, 2016], the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall issue a final rule implementing section 7509 of title 46, United States Code, as added by this section.”