SACRAMENTO State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that the California State Senate approved his Ocean Rangers legislation to enhance public safety, provide environmental monitoring and strengthen homeland security on cruise ships.   Senate Bill 1582 passed on a bipartisan 25-12 vote.  The measure now moves to the Assembly for a hearing this summer.  

I am gratified by the vote, Simitian said.  Too many passengers are telling us that in the aftermath of an unhappy or even tragic experience, the industrys official response is See no evil.  Hear no evil. Speak no evil.  The bill is an important step toward protecting passengers and providing the legitimate, bona fide law enforcement presence missing on these ships, he added. 

Weve got air marshals on planes with a couple hundred passengers, but weve got no one on board a cruise ship with ten times the number of passengers, Simitian said.  That makes no sense whatsoever. 

Members of International Cruise Victims and environmental advocates visited Senate member offices on Tuesday to urge support for SB 1582.  The group included Ken Carver, whose daughter Merrian disappeared while on a cruise to Alaska; Laurie Dishman, the victim of a rape while on a cruise to Mexico; Son Michael Pham, whose parents disappeared while on a Caribbean cruise; Jamie Barnett, whose daughter Ashley mysteriously died while on a cruise to Mexico; and Gershon Cohen, Project Director of the Campaign to Safeguard Americas Waters who was instrumental in the creation of Alaskas Ocean Ranger program.

 I came to the Capitol because I dont want anyone else to ever have to live through what Ive been through.  This is a simple, common sense protection that would do a lot to make cruise ship travel a safer bet, said Dishman, a victim of cruise ship crime and recently named the 2008 Eva Murillo Unsung Hero by the Victims Caucus of the United States House of Representatives

I am extremely pleased by the Senates actions.  The time has come for this milestone legislation theres a serious problem, Carver, President of International Cruise Victims, said. While the issue of cruise ship crime has garnered broader public notice, Simitian noted that SB 1582 is also designed to enhance existing environmental protections.  California can be proud that we have some of the toughest anti-dumping laws in the nation to prevent cruise ships from dumping their waste along our coast.  I authored a number of those laws; and, to his credit, Governor Schwarzenegger signed them into law, said Simitian.  But a law on the books is only as good as the enforcement and compliance that back it up, Simitian said.  And as things now stand, there is no enforcement.   The industry self-monitors and self reports.  With an on-board Ocean Ranger, we can make sure that compliance and coastal protection are real.Cohen added SB 1582 is an important next step towards protecting our waters from cruise ship-generated pollution.

Cruise lines maintain that they are not legally obligated to investigate crimes, nor are they required to have the necessary technical expertise or crime laboratory to do so.  But to successfully investigate alleged crimes and missing passengers, the cases must be promptly reported to law enforcement authorities.  All too often, the end result is significant delays before authorities are notified, jurisdictional ambiguity and a lack of necessary tools to put the pieces together and solve these cases. 

To learn more about SB 1582, please visit www.senatorsimitian.com