Bill > H3357

This joint resolution creates the Shipping Transportation and Port Bridge Safety Study Committee to comprehensively examine maritime and bridge safety standards in South Carolina, prompted by the recent Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore. The committee, composed of nine members including state legislators, civil engineers, and key transportation officials, is tasked with investigating current state and federal safety standards for large vessel navigation near bridges, assessing bridge support structures' ability to withstand vessel impacts, and evaluating existing collision prevention mechanisms. The committee will conduct an in-depth study focusing on pilotage training, bridge structural integrity, and vessel protection devices, with the goal of identifying potential risks and recommending legislative, regulatory, or policy changes to enhance transportation safety. Members will serve without compensation but receive standard per diem allowances, and the committee is required to prepare and submit a detailed report to the General Assembly before January 1, 2027, after which the committee will be dissolved. The study is motivated by concerns about increasing vessel sizes and potential vulnerabilities in maritime infrastructure, with a specific emphasis on protecting South Carolina's transportation system and minimizing potential risks associated with large ship movements in harbors, ports, and canals.

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https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=3357&session=126&summary=B