Title: Maritime Lien Reform Act of 2021
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Maritime Lien Reform Act of 2021
This bill revises federal shipping laws governing maritime liability to prohibit (1) maritime liens (liens on vessels) from being imposed on state or federal fishing permits, or (2) civil actions to enforce maritime liens on the permits. A fishing permit is not considered to be part of a vessel, so it does not pass with a vessel upon the vessel's sale or transfer.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 632 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 632

 To provide limitations on maritime liens on fishing permits, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 28, 2021

  Mr. Young introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
             Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide limitations on maritime liens on fishing permits, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Maritime Lien Reform Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON MARITIME LIENS ON FISHING PERMIT AND PERMIT 
              DESCRIPTION.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 313 of title 46, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 31310. Limitation on maritime liens on fishing permit and permit 
              description
    ``(a) In General.--This chapter--
            ``(1) does not establish a maritime lien on a permit that--
                    ``(A) authorizes a person or use of a vessel to 
                engage in fishing; and
                    ``(B) is issued under State or Federal law; and
            ``(2) does not authorize any civil action to enforce a 
        maritime lien on such a permit.
    ``(b) Treatment of Fishing Permits.--A fishing permit--
            ``(1) is governed solely by the State or Federal law under 
        which it was issued; and
            ``(2) is not included in the whole of a vessel or as an 
        appurtenance or intangible of a vessel for any purpose.
    ``(c) Limitation on Statutory Construction.--Nothing in subsections 
(a) and (b) shall be construed as imposing any limitation upon the 
authority of the Secretary of Commerce to modify, suspend, revoke, or 
sanction any Federal fishery permit issued by the Secretary of Commerce 
or to bring a civil action to enforce such modification, suspension, 
revocation, or sanction.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
31309 the following:

``31310. Limitation on maritime liens on fishing permit and permit 
                            description.''.
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