Judiciary Committee News

The former chairman of the Port of New Orleans Board of Commissioners Joe Toomy is rejoining the group.Gov. John Bel Edwards reappointed Joseph F. Toomy to the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans.Toomy was sworn in during today’s monthly board meeting and will serve a five-year term succeeding Laney J. Chouest as one of two Jefferson Parish representatives on the seven-member regional board. He previously served on the Board of Commissioners from 2009 to 2014 and served as chairman in 2013.With the Port’s acquisition of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad effective Feb. 1, 2018, Port Commissioners also serve as directors of the New Orleans Public Belt (NOPB) board…

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) hosts U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tim Kaine at Newport News Shipbuilding for a tour and discussion on the complexities of shipbuilding. HII President and CEO Mike Petters accompanied the senators on the shipyard tour, which included visits in aircraft carrier and submarine construction facilities and a tour of aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) which is about 62 percent overall complete. (The ship's christening is scheduled for Nov. 9, 2013).

According to a June 18 report from DailyFinance.com, two months since the BP platform explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, the oil company has paid out less than 12% of the claims filed, a House Judiciary Committee report stated. As of June 15, BP had paid $71m of the estimated $600m in claims filed by individuals and businesses since the disaster began April 20. The Judiciary Committee is investigating BP's claims process and its effectiveness in issuing payouts to folks and business that have been damaged by the spill. (Source: DailyFinance.com)

The Subcommittee on Technology, Terrorism, and Government Information of the Senate Judiciary Committee conducted a hearing on February 26, 2002 concerning Securing our Ports Against Terrorism: Technology, Resources and Homeland Defense. Captain William Schubert, Maritime Administrator, testified about grants to be provided to critical national seaports to finance the cost of enhancing facility and operational security. Bonni Tischler, Assistant Commissioner, Customs Service, testified about the agency’s Container Security Initiative. RADM Kenneth Venuto, USCG, testified about Maritime Domain Awareness. Richard Steinke, representing the American Association of Port Authorities, discussed efforts by U.S. port authorities to improve security.

Senator Slade Gorton (R-Wash.) introduced the "States Prevention of Oil Tanker Spills Act" (S. 2506), which seeks to reinstate Washington state oil tanker safety laws overturned by the Supreme Court in Intertanko v. Locke and United States v. Locke. In a press release, Senator Gorton said, "I disagree with the Court's decision, because I believe Washington State should be allowed to protect its shores as it sees fit." The Gorton legislation would reinstate the right of all states to adopt additional standards beyond existing federal requirements governing the operation, maintenance, equipment, personnel and manning of oil tankers. While the legislation would apply to all coastal states, Gorton's interest is focused on recently overturned Washington statutes.

The House Judiciary Committee approved the Fiscal Year 2008 authorization bill for the U.S. Coast Guard. The legislation has already cleared the House Homeland Security Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Prior to final approval, the Judiciary Committee added language strengthening the Coast Guard’s ability to combat maritime smugglers of illegal immigrants and would rachet up security at ports and liquefied natural gas facilities. It would also increase funding for the Coast Guard’s controversial Project Deepwater program designed to modernize its fleet. The addition of $229m for the program would restore deepwater acquisition funding to its F.Y. 2007 level of $1.2b.

House Bill (H.B.) 19, in North Carolina, was passed by the North Carolina House of Representatives. The bill prohibits "cruises to nowhere" and regulates other offshore gaming operations the state doesn't have the authority to ban outright. Vessels that embark and disembark passengers in North Carolina, but make an intervening stop in a neighboring state, would be regulated under the bill. To be considered to have made an intervening stop, a vessel would have to dock at a port in another state, remain continuously at the port for at least six hours, and allow passengers to disembark the vessel for sightseeing, shopping or other similar tourism-related activity.

Statements were released by Senator Orrin Hatch

Senate Bill (S.B.) 477, sponsored by Sen. Whitney Anderson (R-Kailua, Waimanalo), authorizes shipboard gaming upon navigable waters in the state and provides for an advisory referendum. Under the bill, shipboard gaming would be licensed and regulated by a five-member gaming board, which would be established within the Business, Economic Development and Tourism Department. S.B. 477 would also authorize the operation of shuttles to transport individuals to and from gaming ships. Dockside gaming would be forbidden, and gaming excursions could not exceed six hours for a round trip. The legislation provides for a per-person admissions tax of $10. S.B. 477 was referred to the Economic Development Committee and the Judiciary Committee, and then to the Ways and Means Committee.

House File 103, introduced by Rep. Gary B. The measure was referred to the State Government Committee. In New York, S. 1399, introduced by Sens. Frank Padavan (R), Joseph R. Holland (R), Kenneth P. LaValle (R) and John J. Marchi (R), would prohibit gambling "cruises to nowhere" from New York. The prohibition would not apply to gambling activity conducted on vessels traveling to New York from a foreign nation or another state, up to point of first entry into New York waters. Nor would it apply to vessels traveling from New York to a foreign country or another state, starting from the point of departure from New York waters. The measure was referred to the Codes Committee. General Bill 3002 would prohibit gambling on "cruises to nowhere" from South Carolina.

A bill banning gaming "cruises to nowhere" received unanimous approval from a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee. The measure, known as the Gambling Cruise Prohibition Act, would prohibit casino gaming on any voyage that begins and ends in South Carolina, "during which the vessel does not make an intervening stop within the boundaries of another state or possession of the U.S. or a foreign country." The purpose of the bill, as stated in its first section, is to "clearly and unequivocally…prohibit gambling activities on so-called 'cruises to nowhere' as provided in 15 U.S.C. 1175." General Bill 4491 explicitly applies to all vessels, regardless of registry, and offers no exclusion for the large Carnival Cruise Lines ships that call on Charleston.