In response to the 2019 Conception boat fire off the Central Coast that killed 34 people, Congressman Salud Carbajal and Senator Dianne Feinstein introduced a new bill to ensure families of victims of such tragedies receive compensation.
The bill, called The Small Passenger Vessel Liability Fairness Act, would change a 170-year-old maritime rule. Right now, under the Limitation Act of 1851, boat owners can limit their liability to the value of the remains of the vessel.
In the case of the Conception, the inferno that trapped 33 passengers and one crew member in the bunkroom below deck, the boat was a total loss — so the victims' families may not get any compensation.
Congressman Salud Carbajal, who represents the area where the Conception disaster occurred, said that fire prompted him to see how he could help the families.
“It became evident to myself and to Senator Feinstein, that this law needed to be brought up to date,” Carbajal said.
Carbajal said the bill, if it becomes law, would mean that owners of small passenger vessels could be held legally responsible for maritime accidents.
Owners would be mandated to compensate victims and their families regardless of the value of the boat after the incident.
“While nothing makes up for the loss of life for these families, it’s important that at the very least, these families are able to receive fair compensation, a liability compensation, for the loss of their loved ones," Carbajal said.
The National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation of the Conception disaster did not find the cause of the fire, but it blamed the vessel’s owners for a lack of oversight — and said failing to post a night watch allowed flames to spread quickly.
Carbajal said the legislation would be retroactively applied to the families of the Conception disaster, if it passes. The incident is one of the deadliest maritime disasters in recent U.S. history.
