In response to a series of high-profile assaults and disappearances on cruise ships in recent years, President Obama signed into law Tuesday tougher new rules for reporting crimes at sea, improving ship safety and training ship staff on collecting assault evidence.
The $40-billion cruise line industry has long been condemned by critics who say cruise ships registered in foreign countries have taken advantage of murky lines of jurisdiction to ignore the responsibility for misdeeds that occur on ships in international waters.
The bill, written by Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) and Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui of Sacramento, requires cruise lines to install peepholes on passenger stateroom doors and crew members’ quarters as well as add on-deck surveillance cameras, among other safety improvements.
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