Disaster relief would include ship exemptions and planned facility upgrades

The secretary who oversees the Coast Guard would have to grant vessel exemptions when the stated conditions are met. The exemptions would cover three specified federal vessel laws and relief for areas affected by a declared major disaster. The secretary must find that the owner or operator reasonably showed the exemption is needed for disaster relief. The exemption period would cover the 180 days after the major disaster declaration.

Covered disaster repair projects would be exempt from Davis-Bacon requirements. The exemption would cover projects carried out under the federal major-disaster assistance program. The project must be related to repairing damage caused by the declared major disaster. Davis-Bacon requirements include rules setting minimum pay based on local wages for similar work.

The President would establish boards to recommend ways to improve disaster recovery. Each board would include federal, state, and local officials, plus House and Senate employees. Each board would be established within 30 days of that declaration. It would report on immediate recovery barriers within 30 days of formation and future recovery rules within 90 days.

The President would install eligible technology upgrades during covered facility work. The requirement would cover facility repairs, rebuilding, and replacement under the federal disaster assistance program. Each upgrade must have been scheduled and obtained, with money set aside for installation, before the major disaster declaration. Installation would take place during the facility work.