PUBLIC LAW 100-710—NOV. 23, 1988
102 STAT. 4737
"(2) may make available information in the vessel identification system to others. "§ 12505. Fees "(a) The Secretary of Transportation may charge a fee under section 9701 of title 31 for providing information to or requesting information from the vessel identification system, except to ^ "(1) an agency; or "(2) a State making information available to the Secretary under section 12503(a) of this title. "(b) In addition to any fee under subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary may collect an annual fee of not more than $1.00 from the owner of each vessel of the United States under section 9701 of title 31 for maintaining the vessel identification system. However, the collection of that fee may be delayed under conditions prescribed by the Secretary. "(c) The Secretary may employ any agency, State, or person to collect the fee established under sul^ection (b) of this section. "(d) If a State is employed to collect a fee under subsection (c) of this section, the State may retain one-half of the amounts collected. A State shall transfer one-half of the amounts collected under subsection (b) of this section to the Secretary. "(e) The Secretary shall deposit amounts transferred or collected under this section in the general fund of the Treasury as proprietary receipts of the Secretary and ascribed to the vessel identification system. "(f) The amounts retained by a State under this section may be used to make information available to the Secretary and to pay incremental administrative costs. "§12506. Delegation of authority "The Secretary of Transportation may del^ate to an agency, a State, or a qualified person the authority to— "(1) establish and maintain the vessel identification system; and "(2) charge fees under section 12505 of this title to a person making information available to or requesting information from the vessel identification system. "§12507. Penalties "(a) A person shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both, if the person with the intent to defraud— "(1) provides false information to the Secretary of Transportation or a State issuing authority r^arding the identification of a vessel under this chapter; or "(2) tampers with, removes, or falsifies the unique vessel identification number assigned to a vessel under section 12502 of this title. "(b) A person is liable to the United States Ciovernment for a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 if the person— "(1) provides false information to the Secretary or a State issuii^ authority r^arding the identification of a vessel under "(2) violates section 12502 of this title; or "(3) fails to comply with requirements prescribed by the Secretary under section 12505 of this title.
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